


Sweet Talk To Me

by musicforlifer67



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mild Kink, One Night Stands, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-10 19:40:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19911112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicforlifer67/pseuds/musicforlifer67
Summary: Arin loves school, Eunmi loves guys.Arin wants a challenge, Eunmi wants a chance.What happens when Arin steps into her much-anticipated Advanced Literature class and a sexy TA with a knack for expanding the mind seems to take a special liking to her?What happens when Eunmi is faced with Arin's all-grown-up cousin, a childhood friend who's still pushing her buttons just as bad as he used to?When best friends Arin and Eunmi head to a party after their much needed fall break started, they both hoped that it would alleviate the stress of exams and they could maybe let loose.Jinyoung and Jaebum were not a part of the plans.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: HELLO!! I have altered this story a bit, so I wanted to give you some slight background on both of these characters to keep it simple.
> 
> Arin: A straight A student who’s got a crush on her sexy TA, Jinyoung. She was invited to a party by her friend MiYoung, even though she’s not a graduate student like the rest of the partygoers.
> 
> Eunmi: Arin’s best friend, who was invited along and has a major crush on Yoongi, a guy from her Geology class. Also has a crush on Jaebum, but doesn’t want to admit it.
> 
> Jaebum: Arin’s cousin and childhood friend of Eunmi’s. Likes pushing Eunmi’s buttons the most.
> 
> Hopefully this makes it easier as you’re reading the story!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy and feel free to drop me a comment!! 
> 
> THANKS :)! 

Arin lead the way through the school grounds, MiYoung’s vague description of the house in the neighborhood off campus repeating over and over in her head. She focused on those words, her surroundings, and her footsteps as she tried not to think about anything else regarding this party.

“Did you text your date to let her know you’ll be late?”

Eunmi and Jae were walking side by side behind her, and Arin smiled a little at her best friend’s question.

“Nah.”

Jae had arrived at their apartment fifteen minutes late, and even though Arin had been a little irritated- she did not like being late- no one gave him more trouble than Eunmi. It was ironic really, since the girl was notorious for being late herself, but she jumped on the opportunity to tease Jaebum about it. He had taken it in stride, in an exceptionally good mood tonight, deflecting every playful jab she threw at him.

“What if she’s waiting for you?”

Arin didn’t need to turn around to know what the two of them looked like; Jae had his hands shoved in his pockets like always, not looking at her with amusement shining in his eyes while she was looking at the side of his face, wandering gaze too speculative, too focused to back up her claims that Jae got on her nerves so much.

“She’ll be fine,” Jae replied just as Arin was turning onto the street they needed. “I’m late to a lot of dates, so…”

Arin shook her head subtly, rolling her eyes up to the sky; the man knew just what to say to get a rise out of Eunmi, and it seemed with his good mood came a more snarky, button-pushing Jae.

His target? Eunmi, of course.

_Who else?_

“What?” she asked, taking the bait like a worm on a hook, and Arin could practically feel Jae’s triumph. “How late are we talking?”

“Just depends.”

Arin could see the house now; it was way too obvious. The music was already audible from where she was standing, six houses down, and she felt her stomach tighten as she continued to lead the way.

_Just a party, Arin. What are you worried about?_

She didn’t know why she was trying to pretend; trying to pretend she hadn’t thought about the fact that this was a grad student party, and Jinyoung was a grad student.

Jinyoung didn’t seem like the partying type at first glance- he was too clean-cut. He was meticulous, and nerdy in an adorable kind of way, and didn’t seem like the kind of guy that would touch a college party with a ten-foot pole.

But the man was more than what he seemed.

Because when Arin was alone with him, she could see for the first time since the glimpse of it during their debate, that the man had a playful side. He was funny, and teasing, and more laid-back than he might seem to the majority of people who met him, and for some reason, Arin had a feeling if the man did get invited to this party, he just might go.

_You’re making assumptions off a ten minute meeting with him yesterday about your paper, Arin_

Still, she couldn’t deny her gut-instinct; she’d always been too intuitive to do that.

“-and then you just kind of, show up?” Eunmi was talking, somehow sounding both annoyed and curious. “What if it’s like, a movie or something?”

“I’m not going to be late if it’s a movie,” Jae laughed at that, and Arin smiled. “If I’m late, it’s only about ten minutes, so it’s not that serious…”

They were walking through the grass of the house up to the front door, the music so loud it felt like the speakers were right out there in the front yard. There were people standing in the driveway in groups, chatting with plastic cups in their hands. There was a couple making out not-so-subtly behind the bushes near the front porch, and a group of guys trying to set up a beer pong table despite the sharp incline of the yard.

Eunmi and Jae were now standing on either side of her, the three of them walking as one to the front door. Jae leaned forward to open it up, and they filed in behind him, the music so loud Arin almost jumped. Eunmi laughed next to her, immediately looking around at the incredible amount of people that surrounded them on all sides.

Arin swallowed hard; it seemed every grad student at the school was at this party.

“Arin!” Eunmi shouted over the noise, smile radiant as she continued. “Do you think Yoongi will be here after all?”

She had been speculating all night with Arin, the two of them trying to figure out if they thought Yoongi would be at this party or not. It had been part of the reason Eunmi had taken so long to pick out an outfit- settling on a black skirt and matching black crop-top, showing just a sliver of her middle where the articles of clothing separated- and begged Arin to do her makeup.

The two of them had decided that it was a pretty good chance; it had dawned on Arin that Namjoon, a grad student too, had mentioned Yoongi in the library that day, which means if they were friends, then Yoongi might be here tonight.

And it meant Namjoon might be here tonight.

And Jinyoung might be here tonight.

“It’s a pretty good chance,” she answered her best friend with a smile to hide her nerves. “Do you want to look for him?”

They were still standing in the entryway of the house, but even that had a decent amount of people on all sides of them. The music was loud, but the overlapping conversations were even louder, people laughing and calling out to one another, walking past them with bright smiles and flushed faces. The stairs directly in front of them leading to the second floor had a few people sitting on them, talking more calmly as they sipped on their drinks.

There were two ways they could go; to the right, which was, from what Arin could see, the living room, and was filled with a lot of students, or straight ahead, a small, narrow and oddly empty hallway that lead to the kitchen, by the looks of the table and chairs she could see at the end of it.

“I don’t know…” Eunmi was biting her lip, but the excited smile was still there, eyes already wandering to the living room. “Do you think we should?”

Arin would love a distraction from her nerves; if she was looking for this Yoongi guy, then she wasn’t looking for Jinyoung, and that idea sounded pretty appealing in that moment.

“Yes.”

Eunmi bounced a little on her feet, smile taking up her whole face as she moved around Arin to Jae. The man had been looking around, seemingly not listening to their conversation, simply observing the people around him.

“Jae!” Eunmi put her hands on his shoulders, and he looked down at her, smiling as she turned him, pushing slightly. “You lead the way, you’re the biggest- you can move people out of the way.”

He laughed but didn’t shake her off, taking the steps forward she was forcing him to take. He looked over his shoulder after a couple steps, eyes moving to her hand before darting to her bright-eyed smile.

“Where are we going?”

Arin was surprised by how flirty Jae looked in that moment, watching as Eunmi took her hands from his shoulders as if burned. She then shoved him hard in the back, and he laughed sharply as he stumbled forward, and Arin could see how pink the side of Eunmi’s face was.

_Uh, did something happen between these two, or-_

“Just move!” Eunmi sounded frustrated, taking her hands from him the second she was done pushing him. “We’re looking for Yoongi!”

Jae’s smile flickered before he was facing forward again.

Arin looked around, her heart hammering in her ears as she wondered what she would do if she ran into either TA she had somehow managed to talk to. If Namjoon saw her, would he try to talk to her again, maybe try a second time to ask her out? The idea wasn’t altogether unappealing- Namjoon was charming, handsome, and sweet- but what would she say? Would she give him a chance this time?

What if Jinyoung asked her out instead?

_Don’t be silly_

“ARIN!”

She whipped around; they were surrounded on all sides by people, Arin not even realizing they had made it halfway through the large living room. There were students crowded on every surface of the three leather couches, coffee table covered in empty beer bottles, abandoned plastic cups, and crumpled bags of chips.

The heat from the many meandering bodies in the cramped space was a little stifling, chatter almost deafening, but she could still pick up MiYoung’s excited voice over everything else.

“MiYoung!”

Arin smiled, genuinely happy to see her older friend as she fought through the crowd of people, red solo cup in hand.

“I’m so glad you came!” her cheeks were a little pink, and she was smiling so big it made Arin laugh. “I’ve been looking for you!”

Arin was flattered, running a hand through her hair.

“Sorry, I was waiting on my cousin, Jae, he’s always late-”

“Is that him?”

MiYoung nodded in Jaebum’s direction, who was currently smirking down at Eunmi, moving to stand next to her instead of in front of her.

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“Hm, he’s sexy,” MiYoung giggled after she said it, taking a sip of her drink with a raised eyebrow before turning to Arin again. “Is he single?”

Arin turned to look at her cousin again, who was laughing as he jumped back from Eunmi’s attempt at slapping him on the arm.

“-not that short!” Eunmi was saying, voice carrying over the scattered conversations. “He’s taller than me, and that’s what matters.”

“Uh-” Arin looked back at MiYoung, who was watching the exchange with an amused expression.

“Let’s get a drink,” she interrupted, grabbing Arin’s hand and smiling. “It’s not a party until you’re drunk.”

“Sure, let me just-”

She was going to get Eunmi and Jae, see if they wanted to come with.

“-get lost in all these people,” Jae was barely audible, but they were close enough Arin could pick up on his words. “It’s going to be hard to find this Yoongi guy when he’s shorter than-”

“Shut up,” Eunmi was trying to be angry, Arin could see it, but she was laughing and giving herself away entirely. “I already told you, that’s not what matters. And you are so loud what if he hears?”

“Wouldn’t he just say hi to us if he saw you here?” Jae asked with raised eyebrows. “You guys do talk, right?”

“What? Of course we-”

“Yeah let’s go.”

Arin turned away with a shake of her head; the two of them could fight it out until she got back.

MiYoung pulled her through the throngs of people to the other side of the living room, which connected to the kitchen with a transition from carpet to wood floor as they moved around the table and chairs. The kitchen was a decent size, every counter filled with snacks, drinks, and alcohol bottles.

“What do you want?” MiYoung asked, waving her hand around with a flourish at all the different options. “Want what I’ve got? It’s strong.”

Arin smiling mischievously at her friend.

“Let’s do it.”

MiYoung laughed, immediately getting to work on making the drink. For being the location where all the snacks and drinks were held, the kitchen was surprisingly empty. It seemed people were either sardined in the living room or lingering on the deck, which Arin could see through the sliding glass doors by the kitchen table.

“So,” MiYoung handed Arin the drink, who sipped it tentatively. “How did it go with Namjoon after I left?”

Arin almost choked on the drink that was, indeed, strong, feeling her cheeks go pink.

“How did you know something happened?” she asked in surprise, not even bothering to deny it.

MiYoung seemed thrilled, leaning against the island with a bright smile.

“I just had a feeling,” she said, eyes searching her face. “So? Tell me what happened!”

“He-” she took another drink, a bigger one this time. “He asked me to get coffee with him.”

“I KNEW IT!” MiYoung laughed out loud, bouncing off the counter to get closer. “Did you say yes?”

“Well-”

“MIYOUNG!”

A beautiful girl with pink streaks in her dark hair came in from the narrow hallway, eyes wide as saucers.

“Minha, what-?”

Arin looked between the two of them; their features were so similar they could be sisters.

“It’s Taehyung, he dropped a bottle of wine on the carpet upstairs,” Minha looked exasperated. “He and Hoseok were playing a game, I don’t even know, and it’s red wine-”

“Shit,” MiYoung muttered under her breath, turning to Arin. “Go mingle and hang with your friends-”

She gave her a quick, knowing smile before reaching under the kitchen sink, pulling out an assortment of cleaning supplies.

“I’ll find you later, okay? I’m sorry-”

“No, seriously, it’s fine,” Arin laughed as MiYoung gave her a grateful smile. “I’ve got Eunmi and Jae.”

Then the older was giving her the best attempt at a wave that she could manage with full hands before she was following Minha down the narrow hall.

When she was gone, Arin inhaled slowly before exhaling, reveling in the semi-quiet for a moment; it was kind of nice.

She sipped on her drink slowly, knowing she should go find Eunmi and Jae soon. Arin wondered if they had found Yoongi by now, and if it was awkward at all. Should she go check on them? Or if they hadn’t found Yoongi, would she be doing them a favor leaving them alone?

The glass door to the deck slowly slid open, and Arin almost dropped her drink, finishing it off quickly to hide her face that had turned bright red.

“Miss Kim?”

_Shit_

She swallowed down the burn of the alcohol, turning to the man who was smiling playfully at her.

_Jinyoung_

“Hi!”

Arin grinned, trying to be casual, but her heart was hammering so loudly in her ears she almost couldn’t hear the soft laugh that slipped from his lips as he moved closer.

“What are you doing here?”

The question was good-natured, his handsome face looking genuinely curious as he took a drink out of his own cup.

“MiYoung invited me,” she replied, moving to refill her drink so she had something to do with her hands. “What, I can’t come to a grad student party?”

She was really thankful for her older friend’s strong drink choice- it made being nervous in the presence of the one man she both dreaded and longed to see so much easier.

“I mean, I guess you can,” Jinyoung walked around the island to lean against the counter closer to where she was making her drink. “I didn’t realize you knew so many older students.”

“I don’t,” Arin giggled, looking up to see him watching her with a teasing grin. “I’ve just taken a few AP classes...that’s how I met MiYoung.”

“AP classes,” Jinyoung repeated, holding the rim of his cup just inches from his bottom lip as he smirked. “Why am I not surprised?”

She just blushed, focusing on not spilling her drink as she stirred it with a plastic spoon. She had made this one strong too, taking a sip and almost cringing at the taste. They met eyes over their tipped back cups, both of them simultaneously drinking while Arin tried to keep her face as neutral as possible.

“So you said you’re majoring in Literature,” Jinyoung set his cup on the counter before gripping the edges of the wood, his head cocked a little to the side as he looked at her. “What’s been your favorite class so far?”

Arin wondered what it was about her that made him want to ask her so many questions. Was he interested in her? Did he just find her amusing?

_Did he feel the same energy she did during their meeting just the day before?_

“Honestly?” she began, taking another quick sip before continuing. “I absolutely loved linguistics.”

“You’re kidding.”

Jinyoung let out a soft, surprised laugh, eyes on his feet for a moment before they were flicking up to look at her again, sparkling.

“That’s my favorite too. I’m minoring in Linguistics.”

Arin felt her jaw drop, an almost identical laugh to his slipping from her own lips as she looked at him.

“Wait, really?” she asked, genuinely excited as she placed her cup on the counter next to her. “Wow...so, what do you like more? Literature or Linguistics?”

Arin was riding on the liquid courage, her burning curiosity about this guy peaked at this most recent piece of information.

“That’s tough,” Jinyoung answered, smiling so big the corners of his eyes crinkled. “I love to read, but the study of language...it’s interesting, isn’t it?”

“Very,” Arin nodded in agreement, watching him reach for his drink to take another sip.

“I think once you learn about linguistics, it’s hard to talk to people normally,” Jinyoung continued, rolling the liquid around in his cup with a slight twist of his wrist. “You can hear all their inflections, their little habits and you start thinking about the meaning behind all the words people use everyday.”

Arin laughed; ever since her Introductory Linguistics class, she had felt the same way.

“My friends would tease me sometimes,” Jinyoung stared down at the contents of his cup with a small smile. “They’d be talking and all I could hear were the words we were analyzing in class, their meanings and how they relate to the language itself-”

He chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair.

“-I wouldn’t be paying attention, and they’d have to repeat themselves,” he admitted, finally looking up at her through his lashes, nearly making her choke on the air around her. “It drove them nuts.”

“Don’t worry,” Arin was surprised she had a voice at all, let alone a voice that was so steady as she spoke. “I spaced out in conversations long before I knew anything about linguistics. I’m pretty sure Eunmi wants to kill me sometimes.”

“Eunmi?”

“Oh,” Arin giggled at Jinyoung’s raised eyebrows, looking so interested again. “My best friend.”

“The one who sits next to you in class?” he asked, moving closer to her to pour himself another drink. “Kinda tall?”

“That’s her,” she smiled, watching him add a generous amount of alcohol. “We’ve known each other our whole lives.”

His back was to her as he poured, and she was free to look him up and down without any worry of getting caught. Jinyoung always looked good- it was something that drove Arin crazy, honestly- but tonight he looked extra handsome, so much more casual. A blue plaid button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves, a white t-shirt underneath with a pair of light-wash skinny jeans, and Jinyoung looked much younger, and somehow sexier this way.

He turned back around, almost catching her in the act, and she quickly brought her cup to her lips, finishing off the little amount of liquid left in there. Jinyoung was still stirring his drink, thankfully missing her nervous cover-up, only looking at her after throwing the spoon nonchalantly across the kitchen, the plastic utensil landing smoothly into the trash can.

“How did you meet her?” he asked, leaning against the counter once more, eyes squinting a little as he sipped his drink.

His questions were unnerving; did he really want to hear her whole life story like this? If Arin wasn’t mistaken, she would say the way Jinyoung was looking at her- a permanent smile pulling on the corners of his lips as he never let his eyes leave hers for very long, asking her questions to keep the conversation going- she would say the man was actually…

 _Flirting_ with her.

The thought had her wanting to grab another drink, opting to grab one of the beers out of cooler sitting on the island. She bunched her shirt in her hands without thinking, using it to twist the cap off the bottle. Arin watched Jinyoung’s eyes flick down to the exposed skin of her stomach and hips, adam’s apple bobbing up and down for a moment before he was looking at her face once more.

She was a little emboldened by his slip-up, dropping her shirt slowly before taking a long drink of the beer and answering him.

“Eunmi and I were next door neighbors our whole life,” she explained, gripping the bottle with both hands. “Her mom worked a lot, so my mom babysat, and we pretty much grew up together. Me, her, and Jaebum.”

“The guy at your table,” Jinyoung confirmed, seeming to already know the answer. “Is he your other neighbor?”

“My cousin,” she corrected him, wondering if she was delusional when she saw his shoulders relax, if only slightly. “Our moms are sisters and best friends, so he practically lived with me.”

Jinyoung nodded, smiling a little.

“I have two older sisters,” he told her. “I know what he went through, growing up with two girls all the time.”

“Hey, I was fine!” Arin laughed at his subtle teasing, watching his grin broaden. “It’s Eunmi he was always fighting with! Although…”

She paused, smiling to herself, as she took another sip of her beer.

“What?” Jinyoung laughed, watching her with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

“It’s nothing,” she shook her head, wondering if she should voice the thoughts she’d been having for a while now out loud, especially to this sexy man who she really didn’t know all that well.

“You sure?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, laying an invitation out on a silver platter for her to spill her suspicions to him. “It sounds like it’s something.”

Arin was looking at him, the world just a little off kilter as the alcohol started pumping through her veins more steadily. She remembered what she had felt just the day before, like her and Jinyoung were two opposite poles, magnets with a pull to one another. She felt that again, that yank inside of her, as he kept his dark eyes locked with hers.

She couldn’t believe that fifteen minutes ago, she had been standing in that same kitchen alone, fearing running into Jinyoung the most.

She couldn’t believe that he was standing so close to her- one outstretch of her arm, and she’d be brushing her fingers across the smooth skin of his face she was oh so curious about- and he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of her.

Arin couldn’t believe that the man she had been fantasizing about for a little over a month was right here with her, alone, keeping the conversation going between them with questions that he was asking, eyes wandering in moments of weakness, dark orbs shining with curiosity and interest.

It just fed the longing she had for him, that imaginary grip he had on her psyche that she had never fully been able to explain to herself.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

She wasn’t sure how long she had been looking at him- too long she was sure- but he seemed to lose his nerve, smiling at the contents of his cup before taking a long drink. It wouldn’t have been noticeable to most that he lost his nerve; his face was neutral, relaxed even, as he swallowed slowly. But the way his eyes flicked to her, quick but perceptive, made her know he was wondering if she didn’t trust him enough to tell her.

“It’s not that serious, really,” she told him, and he lowered his cup nonchalantly as he raised his eyebrows at her, but the smile back on his lips gave him away. “I just...I think Jae likes Eunmi. I think he always has. And now…”

She took another drink of her beer as she thought for a moment.

“Now I think Eunmi likes him back.”

“You are talking about those two that sit next to you in class, right?” Jinyoung asked, sounding amused. “Everytime I come into class, they’re fighting.”

Arin laughed out loud; so they were that obvious, huh? She thought it was just her.

“Yep,” she answered him simply, finishing off her beer. “That’s definitely them.”

“Sounds healthy,” Jinyoung joked, watching her set the empty bottle on the counter next to her.

“It’s romantic,” Arin argued, smiling at the thought as she dug another beer out of the cooler. “Childhood friends turned lovers. Haven’t you ever seen a romantic movie before?”

She was teasing him, and he laughed at her indignance before taking a long drink out of his cup. Jinyoung’s head was tilted back a little more dramatically now, like he knew she was watching, the smooth expanse of his neck exposed for her as she let her eyes slide across the skin. He swallowed slowly, the movement of his adam’s apple reminding her of the way he looked at her when she opened her first beer.

Cheeks flushed, she used her shirt once more, waiting until he was done drinking to begin twisting the cap off the beer bottle. His eyes darkened as they slid down her body, more skin exposed from her lifted shirt than last time as she bit her lip, pretending it was in response to the effort she had to use to open the bottle.

Jinyoung’s eyes were dark as they traveled back up to her mouth, and she saw him shift against the counter before he spoke.

“Want any help?”

“Nope,” the cap popped with a hiss at the perfect moment, and Arin let her shirt drop back into place. “I got it.”

He chuckled under his breath, and she didn’t miss the way he swallowed hard before he ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, just to let you know,” his voice was completely calm, a hint of teasing there as he leaned forward a bit. “I have seen romantic movies before; they are some of my favorites.”

“Really?” this peaked Arin’s interest, raising her eyebrows at him. “What’s your-”

“WHOOOOOOOOOO!”

They both turned sharply to the right, a group of six or seven people running into the kitchen, red faced and laughing as they almost collided with the table and chairs. Jinyoung jumped from the counter, almost running into Arin in the process as the group started maneuvering around the kitchen, grabbing various liquor bottles.

“Body shots right?!”

The guy asking was skinny and gangly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as his eyes wandered to one of the girls in the group. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a crop top, pierced belly button fully exposed as she giggled.

“Yes body shots!” she cried out in delight, making the two girls standing on either side of her crack up laughing.

Arin felt a warm hand wrap around her wrist, and she looked down in surprise to see it was Jinyoung, who was leaning close to talk to her.

“Want to find somewhere we can actually talk?” he asked with a one-sided grin, and his face was so close to hers that she felt her heart jump into her throat.

“Uh, yeah,” it was all she could manage, watching his eyes flick across the features of her face while she answered. “Sure, let’s go.”

His grip tightened on her wrist, but instead of walking forward, he walked towards the whooping crowd.

“Sorry,” he grinned at them as they parted out of the way, looking at him with slight confusion. “Just need this.”

Jinyoung grabbed a large, unopened bottle of Soju before nodding at them all, turning on his heel.

“Just in case we need a refill.”

And then he was winking at her, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes again as he pulled her along.

All Arin could do was laugh.

* * *

“I don’t think he’s here, Broomy.”

“Can you _not_ call me that?”

Eunmi was done craning her neck, trying and failing to be nonchalant as she searched through the many people in the living room for a shock of blonde hair and the handsome face of her Geology classmate.

Yoongi wasn’t at the party.

She wasn’t sure why exactly she had gotten her hopes up; thinking about it now, Yoongi really didn’t seem like much of a partier, and she had never once heard him mention anything about a party.

“Sorry, Eunmi,” Jae smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. “I don’t think this Yoongi guy is here.”

“I know, I know,” she couldn’t hide her disappointment, running a hand through her hair as she took one more, fleeting look around. “I don’t know why I thought he would be.”

“So I’m guessing you don’t actually have a date for this party then?” he asked, his smile growing bigger as she scowled at him.

“ _Yes_ , Jae, you’re right, I _don’t_ have a date,” she snapped, already annoyed with him; where was Arin? “But I could get one...you know...if I wanted to.”

She didn’t like the way he was grinning at her, a knowing look in his eyes as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked good tonight, as per fucking usual, and she hated him for it. Did he have anything in his closet besides black t-shirts in ripped skinny jeans? Did he have to have such a handsome smile, even when it was from him laughing at her expense? Why was his skin so smooth, what the hell did he even use to get it to look like that?!

“Okay,” he ran a hand through his hair- she was seriously going to strangle him- before he looked around for a moment. “Prove it.”

“What?”

Eunmi stared at him, mouth falling open as he let out a small laugh. His hand slowly slid from his hair, as he shrugged, motioning towards the many chattering partygoers.

“Get yourself a date.”

“I-”

The truth was, Eunmi wasn’t exactly confident in the “getting a date” department. She was usually the dude-bro, the “guy’s girl”, the approachable one when it came to her relationship with guys. She didn’t giggle and twirl her hair, she didn’t laugh at everything guys said, and she didn’t touch them for no reason, just to be flirty.

She wasn’t good at that kind of stuff at all, but she really, really wished she was.

“Where’s your date?”

The last thing Eunmi wanted to do was admit any of that to Jae who teased her about everything from her messy hair to her loud mouth. She wasn’t about to open her heart to him in some kind of moment of weakness, especially with the he was smiling at her, a challenge in his eye she didn’t appreciate.

“Who, Minseo?” Jae asked before shrugging. “I don’t know. Haven’t seen her.”

“What?” Eunmi asked in disbelief; why was he being so nonchalant? “Are you going to text her or-?”

“I want to see you get this date.”

Eunmi rolled her eyes with a reluctant laugh- what was with this pushiness- before shoving him in the shoulder. Her gaze darted around the room, falling on a few guys that peaked her interest. The music was loud, blasting from speakers on all sides of them, and she thought for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip distractedly.

Maybe this was her chance to change the endless cycle that was her dating life. This was the first party she’d been to in a while, and definitely the biggest. She had gone through the extra effort of dressing up, and there was alcohol waiting for her whenever she was ready.

_You don’t have to be the approachable one if you don’t want to. Just...try it out_

She was glancing at Jaebum again, who was watching her with a completely unreadable expression.

“Alright,” she replied, making him raise his eyebrows in surprise. “But I need a drink first.”

He laughed at that pointing at the kitchen.

“Let’s get drunk then.”

She followed Jae into the kitchen, heart hammering excitedly in her ears as she smiled. Eunmi was excited now, the energy buzzing through her veins as she tried not to skip too much while she walked.

“JAEBUMMIE!”

A lanky, smiley man threw his arm over Jae’s shoulder, who laughed good naturedly as he stumbled into the man’s embrace.

“Hoseok-”

“I didn’t know you were gonna be at this party!”

“Yeah, uh, Minseo invited me,” Jae was back to his quieter self, transforming right before Eunmi’s eyes as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Haven’t seen her, so-”

“Who’s this?” Hoseok was grinning at Eunmi, raising a suspicious eyebrow at her before turning back to Jae, his implications clear.

“Oh, yeah, this is Eunmi,” Jae was smiling again, putting his arm around her and gently pushing her forward. “She’s, uh...she’s my friend.”

His hand on her shoulder was almost non-existent gentle as she took a step forward and waved. Eunmi wasn’t really shy- never had been- but it was still overwhelming being the only one nobody in the group knew. There were about seven people, four guys and three girls, one of the girls wiping her stomach off with a paper towel, cheeks flushed.

“Guys, this is Jae,” Hoseok turned to the rest of the group, smile still brighter than the sun. “He’s a freaking musical genius; dude belongs in the entertainment business.”

Eunmi looked at Jae just in time to see him smiling in embarrassment, looking down at his shoes with a shake of his head.

“Nah- I-”

He didn’t really say anything else and Eunmi felt a weird stir in her chest.

_Why is he so adorable right now?_

“Don’t let him fool you,” Hoseok shook his head as if Jae did this all the time- which Eunmi realized, he probably did- waving his hand dismissively at the man. “He’s amazing.”

“You guys want to take shots?”

One of the girls had her eyes on Jae, gaze flicking to his hand that was still resting absentmindedly on Eunmi’s shoulder. She rolled her shoulder, and he pulled his hand away quickly, looking at her sideways before Hoseok was slapping two more shot glasses on the island they were all standing around.

“What do you say?” he asked, looking between the two of them. “Tequila?”

Nobody waited for their answers, the girl that’d been wiping her stomach now twisting the cap off a large glass bottle, pouring one steady stream of the clear liquid across the lined up shot glasses. Eunmi grinned before turning to Jae, who was watching the process with a light surprise. Then everyone was reaching forward, Jae sliding her a shot glass before grabbing his own, and she thanked him quickly, holding the small cup.

“To exams being over!” Hoseok cried out happily before they were all smacking their shot glasses against one another’s with loud clinks.

Then Eunmi was tilting her head back, taking the shot as quickly as she could, immediately cringing at the sharp sting of alcohol down her throat.

“Holy shit,” Jae breathed under his breath, setting the glass down.

“Yeah,” Eunmi said with a laugh, resting her elbows on the counter. “That shit fucking burns.”

The girl pouring the shots laughed out loud, looking at Eunmi before reaching across the island to grab her shot glass.

“Want another, baby?” the girl asked, winking as she already began pouring it for her.

“Well since you’re already pouring it,” Eunmi teased, making the girl giggle again before she was sliding back in front of her.

The other girl hadn’t taken her eyes from Jae this entire time, and Eunmi couldn’t help but notice the way she took the glass bottle from her friend, grabbing Jae’s shot glass boldly, pouring another shot for him before sliding it to him with a flirty smile.

“Here you go, handsome,” she said, her voice a lot deeper than the other girl’s as she slowly licked her lips. “I know you want another one.”

_Ugh_

Eunmi turned to look at him, not surprised when she saw him smiling back at the girl, reaching for the shot immediately without a word. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her shot quickly, throwing it to the back of her throat and welcoming the burn this time.

The room was definitely turning on its axis now, two tequila shots in a row having more effect on her than they really should have. She laughed softly at the feeling, the warmth in her veins welcoming as she looked around at the group of friends her and Jae had spontaneously made.

“I want to see you get this date.”

_She could do that right?_

With the alcohol seeping into her thoughts like drops of ink on smooth paper, she found the task was significantly less daunting than she thought it would be.

Find a guy, walk up to him, strike up a conversation, be funny, maybe be a little touchier than she usually is, case closed.

Piece of cake.

“I should find my date now,” Eunmi hadn’t meant to say that part so loud, only speaking to Jae as she turned to him, and he laughed loudly at her words.

“Right now?”

“You don’t want another shot?” Jae’s number one fan was talking to them again- or really Jae- already reaching for his shot glass and sliding slowly towards her. “Come on…”

She was practically purring, and Eunmi had to stop herself from telling the girl to not be so goddamn pushy. She stepped away, moving to make herself a drink, knowing she wouldn’t make it through a third shot like that. She was standing behind the group now, almost embarrassed by how quickly the alcohol was already coursing through her system.

_I should make one for Jae too_

It was a bit difficult to pour two mixed drinks, but she managed without spilling, making her way back to her spot at the island.

“Here,” she set the cup down in front of Jae, who immediately grinned at her when he saw it.

“You made me a drink?” he asked, laughing afterwords, and she saw that his shot glass was empty; he’d taken that third shot.

“Yeah,” she giggled at the way he was slightly leaned on the counter, both hands gripping the ends. “Your favorite color too. Grey right?”

He looked genuinely shocked that she had remembered, immediately turning to look at the grey plastic cup.

“Yeah.”

Then he was picking it up slowly, taking a tentative drink.

“I didn’t poison it,” she rolled her eyes at his hesitance, shaking her head before sipping out of her own cup. “If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it a long time ago.”

Many people in the group laughed at that- not including Jae’s cheerleader- and he looked amused as he took another drink.

“More shots?” Hoseok looked trashed if Eunmi was being honest, even with her less than perfect vision in that moment.

“I’m gonna go,” she told them all with a smile, knowing she needed to keep her focus while she had the courage to do so. “It was nice to meet you guys!”

They waved at her, and she turned a little too quickly, the world spinning a bit as she laughed softly to herself, holding the cup and making her way back into the living room.

“Wait, Eunmi.”

Someone had grabbed her hand, and she felt the warmth travel up her arm before she was turning around, Jae standing right next to her.

“You’re coming with me?”

Eunmi wasn’t sure how that was going to work; a guy with her meant people might think she’s taken already. Taken by _Jae_ , who currently still had his fingers wrapped gently around hers, the proximity too close if they wouldn’t have been drunk.

“No, I just-” he grinned a little, letting out a soft laugh. “I wanted to see, remember?”

He wasn’t shy anymore, that wall she had just seen with the group slowly ebbing away as it was just the two of them once again. Eunmi felt funny about that, a fluttering in her stomach she was too drunk to comprehend as she searched the features of his face for a moment.

“Jae, what about MInseo?”

Eunmi wanted to know what this Minseo looked like, and why she had asked Jae to the party if she wasn’t even looking for him. Why didn’t he text her? Why hasn’t she texted him?

_Why am I still holding his hand?_

She pulled her hand quickly away from his, running it through her hair.

“I haven’t seen her,” it was the same thing he had said earlier, eyes flicking to her hand before he was looking back at her. “Are you gonna do this, or are you too scared?”

His smirk was back, mocking her like he always did with those playful, dark eyes that got a rise out of her every time for reasons she couldn’t understand.

“I’m not fucking scared,” she told him, annoyed with the laugh that left his lips as soon as she said it. “I’m going to the deck; it’s too hot in here.”

She wasn’t wrong; it was stifling with the amount of people in the living room and the flush the alcohol had brought to her skin. He followed her, still chuckling under his breath as she pulled the sliding glass door open. Eunmi’s eyes scanned the people on the large deck and in the backyard, well lit with all the landscaping it seemed this Minha girl had done.

What college kid is landscaping?

Still, it was beautiful, the glow of the lights in the night soothing, the perfect night air somehow giving her a boost of confidence. She moved near the door next to the BBQ grill backed into the corner of the door, and quickly leaned against the stone wall of the house behind her. Jae joined her, his arm touching hers in the limited wall space the had as he turned to look at her.

“See anyone you like?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her in question.

“I just got out here,” the giggle slipped from her lips before she could help it, and he smiled, her heart skipping a beat at the gesture.

_What the hell was in that tequila?_

Eunmi had been struggling with how hot she found Jaebum since he had came to the school, but she felt like her attraction to him had increased tenfold with the hazy goggles of alcohol. She was already familiar with the sharpness of his jaw, his dark piercing eyes, and adorable smile, but had she really never noticed the freckles just below his eye? Why was she just now noticing the scar on his eyebrow and how nice his lips were?

_Get a fucking grip, Eunmi_

She turned away sharply, trying to focus on the men around her that weren’t Jae as she took another drink of her alcohol.

“I kind of like that one.”

She kept her voice quiet, watching Jae turn in her peripheral vision as she pointed subtly in the said man’s direction.

He was tall, maybe a little skinnier than she was use to, but had a handsome face, and was laughing as he leaned against the railing of the porch. The man seemed to catch her looking, glancing at her smiling when they made eye contact. She almost jumped in surprise; did he just smile at her?

But then the guy was looking away, taking another sip of his drink and actively avoiding her gaze.

“Should I go?”

She hadn’t mean to ask the question out loud, but she figured having Jae there should be good for something. Eunmi turned to look at him, and Jae took a long drink before turning away from the guy.

“What are you gonna say?”

“I-” she could see him fighting back a smile, and this irritated her all over again. “I’ll figure it out.”

Without waiting for his answer, she forced herself to push off the wall, walking steadily towards the guy. She was scared to death- what was she going to say?- but kept the feeling at bay as the man looked up, smiling amusedly as he realized she was walking right towards her.

“Hi,” he says, breaking the ice for her as she approaches.

“Hi,” she laughs, hoping this is good, tucking her hair behind her ear. “How are you?”

_HOW ARE YOU?! God dammit Eunmi, this is why-_

“Good,” the guy chuckled, not seeming put off by her awkward question. “You come over here to talk to me?”

Oh he was smooth, very smooth, and she thought maybe this wouldn’t be so bad if she let him do most of the talking.

“Uh, yeah,” she admitted- honestly was best, right?- nodding for emphasis. “I guess I just wanted to get to know you.”

She wasn’t sure who this was, but it wasn’t Eunmi. Her voice was too high-pitched, she was tucking her stupid hair behind her ear again, and she was looking at him with doe eyes as she waited for him to take the conversation wheel.

_But this is how you do it, right?_

“Alright,” whatever she was doing seemed to be boosting the man’s ego, leaning a little more suavely against the railing as he let his eyes search her face for a moment. “Well, my name’s Luke, I came here for school from America. I’m studying Biology and my favorite music is country music.”

Oh.

Suddenly, Luke wasn’t so appealing anymore.

“Oh, well it’s nice to meet you, Luke,” she smiled gently at him, taking a tentative step back. “I- Sorry, I’ll just be right back, I’ve gotta-”

Eunmi cursed herself for being so awkward, the alcohol making her head spin as she turned on her heel, having no idea how she was planning on ending that sentence. She caught a glimpse of surprise on the guy’s face before she was beelining straight for Jae, who looked like he was already hysterically laughing.

“Come on,” she hissed, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him behind her, feeling him stumble a bit.

She pulled the door open, heart hammering in her ears as she moved back into the kitchen. The music was louder again, the heat of the house almost suffocating as she slammed the door behind her.

“What the hell happened?” Jae asked as soon as she had shut the door, turning to look at her, still smiling.

“I-” she wrinkled her nose as she looked up at him. “He likes country music.”

Jaebum let out another sharp laugh, as she felt her cheeks warming up, taking another long sip of her drink.

“Shut up!” she told him, but she was smiling, unable to help it. “That was stupid-”

“So much for that date,” Jae teased, regaining his composure and running a hand through his hair.

She watched the movement before she was scowling at him, whacking him on the arm.

“Yah! I’m still working on it!” she insisted, turning a little to look around the house. “I’ll try the living room.”

Eunmi didn’t wait for his answer, but she could hear his footsteps behind her as she made her way into the living room. There were a couple of bookshelves against the far wall, separated by a large painting in between them. She leaned in against the wall in between them, Jae instantly doing the same, both of them simultaneously taking drinks from their cups.

“What about him?”

Jae lowered his cup slowly, nodding towards a guy walking by with a mess of dark hair, dressed head to toe in black. The man had a nonchalant demeanor to him that was kind of sexy if Eunmi was being honest, as he seemed to be content standing alone, taking a sip of his drink. His free hand was shoved in his pocket, and he pulled it out slowly as he ran his fingers slowly through his hair-

“Um no,” Eunmi looked away sharply, turning to Jae. “Too much like you.”

He raised his eyebrows at that, and once again, Eunmi felt like they were just a little too close. She could smell that stupid cologne he wore- what the hell was it, _girl crack_!?- and couldn’t stop the way her stomach tied itself in knots at their direct eye contact.

“What’s wrong with me?”

He asked the question so neutrally, like he was asking about the weather, and Eunmi wondered if he knew how that question sounded to anyone paying attention. What was he implying? That she should like him? She most certainly did not like him, nor would she ever consider being with him and his stupid music-loving, sarcastic humor-having, good looking, hot-

“I’m not answering that.”

It was the only thing she could think to say as she turned back to look around.

“Alright-”

She spotted the next guy walking by that captured her attention; he was a little shorter than she would like, but he was lean, with a cute face and goofing off with his friends. He seemed like one of the goofiest ones in the group, but he still had an aura of cool about him that Eunmi could appreciate from her distance.

Plus he had nice hair.

“I’m gonna try that guy,” she nodded in his direction, taking a gigantic gulp of her drink that was much too strong, reveling in the confidence it brought her as she stepped forward. “Wish me luck.”

Jae just chuckled under his breath as she walked forward.

Eunmi again, had no idea what she was going to say once she approached this guy, but she figured greeting him would probably be a good start. Her timing was impeccable- his friends were walking away, and he was waving at them, laughing at something they had said- before Eunmi was approaching somewhat nervously.

“Hi,” she broke the ice this time, smiling as he looked at her in slight interest.

“Hey,” his smile was crooked, eyes dark, and she felt her heart skip for a reason wasn’t sure as she watching his gaze run up and down her body. “What’s up?”

“I just-”

“DUDE! HYUNWOO!”

His friends were standing at the sliding glass door, waving for him to come over.

“WE CAN SET UP THE BEER PONG HERE!”

“Uh, sorry-” he smiled guiltily at her, rubbing his arm with his hand as he slowly backed away. “Maybe I’ll see you later?”

It didn’t sound too promising.

She felt her confidence deflate like a balloon; if he thought she was cute, he would’ve asked her to come or something, right? Instead he didn’t even look over his shoulder at her as he ran to catch up with his friends.

Eunmi sighed, taking the rest of her drink down in one sharp gulp. By the time she was back to Jae, she was wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, more frustrated than she probably needed to be.

“Be careful,” his eyes were shining in amusement, but he, thankfully, wasn’t laughing. “You made these pretty strong.”

He lifted his own drink, looking slightly unsteady as he pushed himself off the wall a bit. Eunmi waved him off, turning around to lean against the wall again, only half-heartedly looking for a new guy. She wondered if maybe this was a mistake, especially with the way the walls were wobbling on all sides of her like she was underwater.

Eunmi could feel Jae’s eyes on her, but couldn’t bring herself to look at him. How pathetic must she look to him, trying and failing to get a date while he was raking women in without lifting a finger?

“He looks like the kind of guy who would run with his friends to play beer pong,” he muttered under his breath, making Eunmi laugh unexpectedly at his random jab at Hyunwoo.

“What?” she felt the drywall digging into the back of her head as she rolled her neck to look over at him. “What does that even mean?”

“It means they’re idiots,” Jae answered her simply, refusing to meet her eyes as he finished off his drink. “There’s already beer pong set up in the front yard. Why waste the time and effort?”

Eunmi chuckled under her breath at his ridiculous insult, and watched him look sideways at her, lips pulling up into a small smile.

“I’ll get us some refills.”

Before she could say anything, he was taking the empty cup out of her hand, not even looking at her as she watched him walk into the kitchen. She was still smiling, the disappointment of Hyunwoo already ebbing away as she finally tore her eyes from his retreating back.

_Did Jae just make you feel better on purpose?_

Eunmi didn’t have much time to think about the matter- nor did she want to- before Jaebum was coming back, handing her a beer.

“This was easier than making an actual drink,” he told her lowly, the top already twisted off for her.

“Thanks.”

She smiled before she was facing the living room again, Jaebum taking his place next to her against the wall.

“You’re always talking about the kind of girls that I like,” he said quietly, taking a sip of his beer before continuing. “Can you pick them out?”

“You want me to pick out more girls for you?” Eunmi grinned at him, taking a swig of her own beer before raising an eyebrow at him. “Why would I do that?”

“Don’t be jealous,” he smirked at her, bumping his arm against hers. “I just want to see if you know me as well as you think you do.”

“I’m not-” she growled, rolling her eyes before facing forward again. “Never mind. Let me see what I can do.”

She scanned the crowded living room, scoping the area for beautiful faces, short skirts, and skinny statures.

“Found one.”

It had been maybe a minute before she saw a girl standing with her friends, skirt flitting back and forth as she spoke animatedly to her the group of girls, long glossy hair pulled into a high ponytail. Her face was flawless, doll-like, and she giggled as she covered her mouth, manicured fingernails long and shining in the light.

“Her?” Jae followed her gaze, raising his eyebrows before nodding in approval. “Okay yeah, she’s hot.”

Eunmi rolled her eyes, unable to help the laugh that slipped from her lips.

Another one walked by just seconds later- if only she had this much luck with her guys- flipping her hair over her shoulder as she talked to her friend walking with her.

“There you go,” Eunmi nodded towards her as she walked by, wondering if she had struck out from the girl wearing jeans instead of a skirt. “What about her over there?”

“Jaeun?” Jaebum asked, wrinkling his nose before taking a drink. “She’s a bitch.”

“Does that matter?” Eunmi asked with a giggle.

“Yes,” he turned to look at her, a slight smile on his face. “It does.”

She just nodded, turning back to the people once more.

“You pick this time.”

Jae was quiet for a moment before pointing subtly to their left, a girl with long, unkempt hair leaning against the wall with her friend. She had pink streaks in her hair, bitten fingernails and ripped skinny jeans on.

Not at all what Eunmi would’ve picked.

“That girl?” she asked, Jae checking her point of view nodding in confirmation. “Why?”

“She’s funny,” he answered with a shrug. “Nice too. She sits behind me in my poetry class.”

For some reason this bothers Eunmi, watching the girl as she adjusts the oversized band shirt she’s sporting, smile adorable as she talks loudly to her friend. She was too down-to-earth, too friendly looking to be someone Jae would go for, and it was completely throwing her off.

She took another long drink of her beer.

“Her too.”

Jae used his bottle, tipping it to their right, pointing directly at a taller girl with her hair in a messy bun, no makeup, talking to what looked like her boyfriend with a warm smile on her face. She was tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear, slapping her boyfriend on the arm playfully as her laugh carried across the living room.

“Really?”

Eunmi watched in wonder as the girl laughed so hard she almost dropped her beer can, her boyfriend hurrying to catch it before it slipped to the ground. Some contents still spilled on her shirt anyway, only making the girl laugh harder as her boyfriend shook his head, smiling lovingly at her.

“Yeah,” Jae was watching her almost fondly, and Eunmi felt a rock sinking hard and fast in her stomach for no reason. “She’s hilarious. I’ve got Physical Science with her, and she’s always dropping shit and correcting the teacher.”

“You like that?” Eunmi asked with a giggle, imagining Jae actually being with someone like that.

“Someone who’s not afraid to be themselves?” Jae asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ve always liked that.”

Taking another sip of beer, she realized she didn’t have much of a comeback for that.

“I clearly suck at this,” she attempted to make a joke after a moment, pulling a small smile from Jae. “I’ll go back to finding the man of my dreams.”

He scoffed with a shake of his head at that, but she saw his smile get bigger before he was tipping his head back for another drink.

“I wish Yoongi were here,” she admitted after having no luck finding her next target; although she wasn’t sure if it was her alcohol-impaired vision or the lack of interesting men. “He’s...different.”

“What’s with you and this Yoongi guy?” Jae said, and she thought she must be imagining the annoyance in his tone.

Eunmi didn’t answer at first, choosing to drink slowly from her glass bottle as she mulled over her words. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to admit what her true draw to the man was; if Jae of all people would know how she felt.

Still, she was drunk, and the words were slipping from her lips before she could stop them.

“I guess he makes me feel like a girl.”

There was a moment of silence before Jae was turning to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You _are_ a girl,” he surprised her when he used his hand to motion up and down her body. “Obviously.”

She felt her cheeks grow hot, clearing her throat and turning to stare at the people in front of them.

“I know, I just-”

Eunmi wasn’t sure why she was saying this- she’d never admitted her feelings to anyone but Arin- but the way Jae was looking at her, a flicker of concern in his eyes that confused the hell out of her- was giving her drunk mind all the push it needed to keep going.

“I, uh,” she ran a finger along the narrow rim of her beer bottle, avoiding Jae’s piercing gaze. “I think not all guys see me that way, I guess? I don’t know, I’ve just always been better at being friends with guys...I don’t really get asked out a whole lot…”

She paused to take another drink.

“Anyway. Yoongi, he’s just nice to me and he flirts with me and he’s interested in me…” Eunmi trailed off, feeling a little silly as she let out a nervous laugh. “I guess he makes me feel like I’m worth something.”

Another drink to hide her nervous expression, eyes stubbornly staying away from Jae’s as he stared at her without a word. It was intimidating, and she wondered once again, why she decided to randomly poor her heart out.

“Eunmi-”

“What about that guy?”

She was definitely not sober, but even through the haze of alcohol, she could see that the man that just rounded the stairs and entered the living room was her type. Jet black, wavy hair, a stoic demeanor, and a flirty smile, it seemed someone had already grabbed his attention, one of his friends calling out to him in greeting.

“Don’t.”

She had already taken a step forward, feeling Jae’s fingers wrap around her upper arm.

“What?” she asked, turning a little too fast, head spinning. “Why not?”

“You think _I’m_ a player?”

Jae raised an eyebrow at her, and she looked back at the man just in time to see a girl walk right up to him, his eyes rolling up and down her body like she was piece of meat.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Jae sounded a little disgusted, fingers slipping from her arm gently as she moved back to her spot next to him. “Guy’s a dick.”

Eunmi couldn’t believe she was thankful for Jae being there, but she was, having gotten wrapped up with those kinds of guys before.

It never ended well.

It wasn’t until she had finished the last drop of her beer, Jae following right behind her, that she spotted a new guy worth looking at.

He was tall again, with brown, glossy hair and a cute face that she found oddly appealing. He was smiling at something someone was saying to him before they walked away, leaving the man alone to sip slowly from his plastic cup. He was handsome, but seemed sweet, the awkward way he rocked back and forth on his feet oddly adorable.

“I found another one. Hold this?”

Jae didn’t have time to answer as she placed her bottle in his free hand, letting the beer, tequila, and whatever other kind of liquor she had coursing through her system lead the way. Time was always sloppy when she was drunk, so it almost surprised her when she was standing in front of him, watching as he lowered his cup slowly to look at her in curiosity.

“Hi!” she smiled warmly at him, tucking both hands behind her back nervously.

“Hello,” he seemed amused by her, but not unkind as he smiled back.

Come on Eunmi, do it right this time. Don’t be awkward.

“I just-” she giggled- a real nervous laugh- as she reached up to move some hair out of her face. “I know this is forward, but I saw you and thought you were cute, and I...I don’t know…”

She was losing her momentum, watching as the smile on his face faded to discomfort.

“Oh, uh,” he looked apologetic as he ran a hand through his silky hair. “I’m sorry, I’ve got a _girlfriend_ actually...so…”

Eunmi’s heart was hammering in her ears, loud for some reason, and she heard the anxious laugh slip from her lips before she could stop it.

“Oh no, it’s fine,” she was saying in some kind of nervous babble, taking small steps backward. “Sorry to bother you. Didn’t mean to- you know- I’ll just-”

She turned on her heel, face burning like she had a fever as she made her way out of the living room. Eunmi thought she saw Jae push himself from the wall to follow after her, but wasn’t sure until she could hear his soft chuckles behind her.

This just embarrassed her more, and instead of grabbing another drink like she had originally planned, she turned sharply down the hallway, thankful the bathroom by the front door seemed to be unoccupied. She pushed the wood of the door with both hands, flicking on the light, before stumbling drunkenly inside.

“Why are you going in here?” Jae asked, right on her tail as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom with a bright smile on his face.

“God, that was so embarrassing,” she moaned, burying her face in her hands as she shook her head back and forth. “He has a fucking girlfriend!”

“Hey, whatever, shit happens,” Jaebum was so nonchalant, so chill about the whole thing. “You should’ve seen the look on his face.”

Eunmi knew it wasn’t a big deal, she _did_ , but she could also feel the wetness on the palms of her hands pressed into her eyes. She let out a sharp laugh because she honestly felt ridiculous, reaching down to wipe her hands on the fabric of her skirt, ridding herself of the stray tears.

“Yah, _Broomy_ …”

Jae’s smile was fading as she made the mistake of looking up at him, watching as he took a couple steps inside the bathroom.

“I’m fine,” she told him automatically, grinning to backup her claim, but her vision was a little too cloudy as she watched him shut the door gently behind him.

“It’s not a big deal, I’m sure the guy doesn’t care-”

“I don’t even know why I’m crying,” she told him honestly, laughing again as she let her body fall almost clumsily against the wall. “I know it’s stupid, I just-”

But being drunk meant even her thoughts had less of a filter, and truthfully, Eunmi knew exactly why she was crying.

The rejection.

She choked on whatever else she was going to say, reaching up to wipe the new tears that had cascaded down her bright red cheeks. Her fingers were trembling, and she clenched them into fists, letting her head fall against the wall with a heavy sigh.

Eunmi had thought this night would be different; that somehow she would meet her next boyfriend at this random grad night party. And even though it didn’t make any sense logically, and she was incredibly stupid for getting her hopes up, she had anyway. So of course, it was only a matter of time before someone yanked out the wrong Jenga piece, and she was crumbling under the weight of disappointment.

Her pride was damaged and she was frustrated, yes, but honestly, Eunmi’s feelings were hurt the most.

“I don’t see how you do this,” she finally spoke, embarrassed by how shaky her voice sounded as she used her fingers to catch more cascading tears. “This dating thing all the time…”

Jaebum’s smile was completely gone now, watching her with what could only be described as concern as she continued to pathetically wipe at her eyes.

“Well, I mean…” he looked a little uncomfortable, pulling on the collar of his shirt. “I don’t really ask, they just sort of...come to me…”

For some reason, his tactless remark makes her laugh, shaking her head as she shoved him lightly on the arm.

“Thanks that makes me feel a _lot_ better.”

He seemed encouraged by her laughter, smiling again, handsome as always as he took a small step closer.

“I honestly think you just have bad taste, Eunmi.”

She glared at him, her heart not all the way in it in her drunken state, as she kept her eyes locked with his.

“I’m just saying,” he told her with a shrug, eyes darting from hers. “Those guys don’t deserve you at all.”

All thoughts in Eunmi’s mind came to a screeching halt at his final words, and she watched him shove both hands in his pockets, seeming a little wobbly on his feet as he looked down at his shoes.

“What?”

It’s all she could think to say in that moment, honestly not sure if she heard him right. Her heart was racing in her chest, much harder than it had all night, and she could feel the flutter of anticipation in her throat as she swallowed hard. Eunmi watched him reach up to run a hand through his hair, eyes following the movement as she realized how close they were standing for the first time.

“I just-”

Eunmi knew Jae too well; he always looked around when he was nervous, as if the words he needed were written on a cue card waiting for him in the background.

“They’re not really worth your time. You’re…”

She felt like she couldn’t breathe now, something different about the air between them, something charged that she wasn’t sure if she was imagining or not. Her stomach was twisting slowly but steadily, drunk mind frozen in time, not sure what to expect from this man in front of her.

He finally sighed, taking his hand from his hair and letting it drop to his side.

“You’re too good for them, Eunmi.”

Silence.

She couldn’t take her eyes from his face, as if waiting for him to transform into someone else. This couldn’t be Jae- the mischievous, shit-disturbing, teasing-her-every-chance-he-got Jaebum- could it?

Eunmi really couldn’t breathe now, letting out a small laugh from nerves as she tried to process the gentle words that had just come out of Jae’s mouth.

He let out a small chuckle too, searching the features of her face as she let her head fall against the wall once more.

“You don’t have to lie and say all this to make me feel better, Jae, really-”

“I’m not lying.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest at the simple sentence, eyes locking with his before she could help it. His face was stoic as usual, but it was his eyes that gave him away, something soft there that she had never seen before.

Eunmi stared at him for a moment- the scar on his eyebrow, the freckles underneath his eye, the way he bit lightly on his bottom lip as he kept his gaze locked on hers. He was so handsome, too handsome, and it was all she could notice in that moment. And the way he was looking at her, like every word he was saying was true, had butterflies frantically flying around in her stomach.

She looked up to the ceiling, finally breaking their eye contact so she could breathe. All she could smell was Jae again and his stupid, enticing cologne, and she could feel the world spinning around her as she looked up at the smooth drywall above her.

“ _God_ , I am _really_ drunk,” she said for something to say, letting out a slight giggle. “Why the hell did we do all those shots?”

There was a breathy laugh coming from Jae before she heard his hand land unsteadily against the wall to her right. Eunmi turned before she could help it, Jae leaning his entire body weight on one arm, hand pressed flat against the wall near her head as he looked down at their feet, hair hanging in his face.

“I have no idea,” he answered with a slight shake of his head.

Eunmi had never been this close to the man before, not for this long, and she couldn’t tell if the floor underneath her felt more like waves of the ocean from his close proximity or the alcohol coursing hard and strong though her system.

_Probably both_

Then suddenly, Jae was looking up, their eyes meeting once again. They were close, _too_ close, and Eunmi felt her breath catch in her throat as his widened eyes slid slowly along the features of her face. The tension was palpable, no longer imaginary as she realized she could actually _feel_ the heat of his body radiating off of him.

“D-Don’t you have a date here?” she asked, voice more serious than she had meant it to be as she pressed her hands against the wall for leverage. “Someone waiting for you in bed or whatever?”

It was her feeble attempt to grasp at something normal, something that wasn’t defying every rule and fulfilling every dark fantasy in her head simultaneously. Jae this close was dangerous, _really_ dangerous, and she could feel her resolve slipping as she watched his eyes darken ever so slightly.

“I’m fine right here actually.”

Eunmi felt her mouth drop open just slightly, and his gaze immediately moved to her parted lips, his tongue darting to lick his own bottom lip just long enough for her to see it.

Her stomach flipped harshly at the action, and she could feel her fingers pressed hard against the wall, trembling just slightly. Her eyes were wandering away from his face, taking in the broadness of his shoulders, the strength of his arm as it continued to hold his weight against the wall. His skin looked really smooth, even more so this close, and she swallowed hard, her breathing pattern increasing just slightly.

“Yah,” she breathed, realizing as she spoke that he had leaned in just a little closer. “Why do you have to be so nice, you’re making me-”

But Eunmi didn’t have time to finish before Jaebum had finally closed the distance between them. With his free hand gently cupping her face, he leaned forward in one fluid motion, pressing his lips hard against hers.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi again! This chapter is just a continuation from Part 1, so there's still drinking and definitely sexual content! Enjoy :)!

_Jinyoung grabbed a large, unopened bottle of Soju before nodding at them all, turning on his heel._

_“Just in case we need a refill.”_

_And then he was winking at her, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes again as he pulled her along._

_All Arin could do was laugh._

“Okay, now that I know all your favorite books...is there anything else that you like?

Arin was pretty sure her and Jinyoung had been in this empty bedroom for an hour, sitting on some poor sap’s bed with their backs against the headboard, a bottle of Soju sitting in between them. It was half empty now, both of them fighting the flushes on their faces, permanent smiles pulling on their lips as they looked at one another.

“I love music,” Arin offered, taking the bottle slowly from Jinyoung’s hand and taking a small sip. “I can play the piano, actually.”

Jinyoung’s eyes widened at this before he was grinning again, running a hand through his hair.

“Of course you can,” his voice was teasing as he took the Soju back, taking his own drink. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Arin answered with a sigh, playing with the ends of her hair as she continued. “When I was a kid, I used to be in competitions. I actually won a few of them…”

“Really?” he was leaning forward casually, but Arin was acutely aware of every move the man made, his dark eyes searching her curiously. “How many times?”

She giggled at his question, feeling a lot like she was bragging as she dropped her hair.

“Six.”

The answer was more confident than it would’ve been if she wasn’t riding the waves of alcohol. He laughed out loud at that, head falling back against the headboard gently as he looked at her.

“Of course you did.”

“Why do you keep saying that?” she asked with a giggle, shoving him lightly on the arm.

“You’re just…” he chuckled, looking down at the bottle in his hands before his eyes were on her face again, that same flirty look from earlier. “Interesting...I guess.”

Jinyoung didn’t seem unsure, but he did seem a little shy, and she was shocked by this; he was such a confident, take-charge kind of a guy…

Did he somehow have a soft side for her?

The thought had her stomach fluttering and her chest warm, wondering if she should let her thoughts runaway with her like that.

“You’re interesting too,” she told him, letting her eyes run along his handsome face. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

Her words were much more honest with Soju taking the wheel, but she didn’t exactly regret them, watching Jinyoung smile brightly with a small laugh. His nose was scrunched up now, and she couldn’t get over how cute it was to her. He was such a contradiction; all business-teacher-man during the day with ironed clothes and slicked back hair, intelligent words and challenging, unreadable eyes, and then he was all boyish smiles and small laughs, more questions and less answers, with teasing remarks and occasional smirks.

She really hadn’t met anyone like him before.

“What’s your favorite kind of music?” Jinyoung asked after taking another drink of Soju, cheeks a little pink. “Do you have one?”

“Not really,” she answered honestly. “I literally love all music...my favorite genres just change depending on my mood. What about you?”

“Well…” he thought for a moment, looking up at the ceiling before his eyes were back on her. “I actually really like Jazz music...and R&B…”

“Jazz music?” she repeated, smiling as she adjusted on the bed. “Wow, that’s incredible. Do you like musicals?”

“Yes,” Jinyoung nodded in confirmation, moving now to face her, back no longer against the headboard. “That’s one of my favorite things to do...see plays.”

Arin wondered if this man was made in a factory for her, amazed as she let out another drunken giggle.

“Wow, I…” she could feel her cheeks burning as she stared at him. “We have a lot in common.”

He smiled back at her, and they stared at one another for a long moment, neither one of them saying anything for a moment. That magnetic energy was back again, the tension both intimidating and enticing as his dark eyes searched hers. Arin swallowed slightly, realizing with both of them sitting cross-legged like they were, their knees were just an inch from touching.

Their close proximity was sending a heat through her body, the thought of him wanting to be this close to her more seductive than it really should’ve been. She couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the same way, his hand reaching up to rub casually along the skin of his neck, letting out a small chuckle.

“Let’s see how much,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “What’s your favorite food?”

Arin thought for a moment- she did like food, but if she had to choose a favorite, it would have to be-

“Cheese,” she told him confidently, nodding in confirmation. “I love it. All kinds.”

“Cheese?” Jinyoung let out one his surprised laughs, sharp and almost giggly as his nose scrunched again. “Really?”

“Don’t make fun of me! Cheese is delicious!” Arin laughed at his expression, leaning forward slightly to grab the Soju bottle from his lap. “What’s yours?”

“Hamburgers and pizza,” he said instantly, seeming to get happier at the thought of those foods. “Any kind of meat, honestly.”

“I love pizza,” Arin giggled, making him laugh as well before she took drink.

“Let’s order one,” he said seriously, all hint of a smile gone as he looked at her with a stoic expression.

“Now?” her eyes widened as she lowered the bottle from her lips. “At Minha’s house?”

He nodded, still straight-faced as he took his phone out, holding it up.

“Should I call?”

“I-” she laughed, watching as he unlocked the screen. “What if someone else gets it before we get downstairs?”

“Aish…” he sighed heavily, a little too dramatically as he locked his phone screen again, holding it with both hands in his lap. “I guess you’re right…”

Then he was looking up at her, a mischievous smile on his face that made his eyes crinkle again.

He was totally messing with her.

“Now I’m hungry!” she cried out as he burst out laughing, almost spilling the bottle in her attempt to push him.

“Me too,” he said with a sigh- a real one this time- before he was scooting to the edge of the bed. “I’ll be back.”

He stood up somewhat unsteadily, that up-to-no-good smile still on his face as he winked at her.

Again.

Before she could ask him where he was going or what he was doing, he had disappeared out the door, shutting it gently behind him.

Arin stared at the wood for a long moment before exhaling loudly, running a shaky hand through her hair.

She could feel the flush on her skin, making it a little sticky as she tried to even out her breathing.

Jinyoung was... _daunting_.

Ever since he had pulled her into that bedroom, closing the door behind her with a wicked grin on his face, her heart had been racing just a little faster in her chest. He had climbed onto the bed smoothly, patting the spot next to him without a word, asking her to join him.

And how could she say no to that?

But she had kept her distance, knowing she needed to, and he didn’t seem to mind at all. He just twisted the cap off their Soju, taking a small drink from the bottle before handing it to her. They had smiled at one another, mutual intriguement in their eyes before they started talking just like they had in the kitchen. Jinyoung was asking her questions while they took turns sipping Soju, loosening up as they spoke longer and longer.

He was smart, so smart, and after they discussed what felt like every book they had ever read, Jinyoung had asked for her favorites, eyes shining with curiosity. He was calculative as he listened to her, a ghost of a smile on his lips as the alcohol made them slouchier, more relaxed, more smiley, making jokes and touching each other way more than they had downstairs sober.

“Back.”

Arin jumped from her thoughts, Jinyoung grinning at her as he closed the door behind him. He had a bag of potato chips in his hand, walking slowly, albeit a little unsteadily, across the room to the bed once more.

“I thought we could use a snack.”

Jinyoung’s voice was low as he spoke, climbing back onto the bed and setting the bag of chips between them.

“Salt and Vinegar?” she asked, looking down at the bright blue bag. “You like these?”

“Yeah,” he pulled it open, reaching in and grabbing a chip. “They’re my favorite.”

Before she could respond, he was holding up the chip for her, inviting her to take a bite. She grinned at him before leaning forward, clamping her teeth just hard enough to keep the grip before she was yanking the whole thing from his fingers. He chuckled as she pushed the chip into her mouth in one smooth movement, humming in approval.

“They’re my favorite too,” she told him after swallowing, watching him dig his hand back into the bag. “How did you know?”

“Lucky guess,” he told her, his flirtatious smile making her heart skip a beat. “We already have so much in common anyway…”

“Not food,” Arin couldn’t help but point out, making Jinyoung laugh with a closed mouth around his chip.

“Okay,” he conceded, eyes shining after his mouth was empty again. “Not food.”

They were quiet for a moment, the silence more comfortable than it should be for people who just met, both munching on the chips.

“Anything else I should know about you, Miss Kim?”

His eyes were shining in amusement and she giggled with a playful roll of her eyes.

“You can call me Arin, Professor Park.”

He bit his lip, the smile on his face a little more wicked than it should’ve been as he looked at her through his lashes.

“I think I might still want you to call me Professor Park though.”

_Oh my god, yeah, he’s definitely drunk_

But truthfully, so was she, and his words had her brain short-circuiting as she took in the implications of his words. She wanted him, bad, since the moment she had seen him, but with him so close, yet so far away, a tantalizing grin on his face as she realized that their knees were definitely touching now…

Arin knew they were wading in dangerous waters.

“What if I don’t want to?” she asked with a teasing smirk, a master at hiding her emotions, drunk or not. “ _Jinyoung_.”

“Hmm…” he searched the features of her face, eyes lingering on her lips before he was reaching into the chip bag again. “I guess I can live with that.”

Arin knew the two of them had been spending the entire night on the edge of the shore, the calm sands of their newfound friendship sitting too close to the waves of their attraction to one another. She knew they were holding hands, feet just barely missing the waves as they walked together, choosing to mostly ignore the ocean altogether.

But waves were a funny thing, and a random, strong one could outreach the rest, water splashing warm and foamy across their toes before they could comprehend it.

Arin felt like Jinyoung’s small chip run had thrown her off the trail, the precise line written in the sand for her to follow now washed away. Then suddenly his grip was stronger, warmer, and the water was more consistent now, waves enveloping her feet more regularly as she looked at his dark eyes.

“Well if you can live with that,” she teased, her voice a lot more flirty than she had expected it to be. “I guess I’ll keep calling you Jinyoung then.”

“Perfect.”

She wondered if he could feel it too, the consistent waves of the ocean, their loss of that delicate line they were following in the sand. He seemed okay with it, more than okay with it as he ran a hand through his hair, the strands falling perfectly into place before he was looking back up at her.

“Any other favorite foods I should know about?”

Arin almost forgot she was holding the Soju bottle, taking another long sip as she thought about his question, trying to ignore the way he was leaned forward, if only slightly.

 _So hot, why is he_ so _hot…_

“Sweets,” she answered, trying to distract herself. “I love desserts...they really are my weakness.”

“Do you have a favorite?”

Jinyoung was folding the chip bag, setting it on the table behind him before he was resting his elbows on his knees, head turned slightly as he let his cheek rest in one of his palms.

“Not that I can think of.”

Arin was sure somewhere in her mind, her favorite dessert was sitting, waiting for her acknowledgement. But right now, she couldn’t think about anything but the way Jinyoung was looking at her, like he found her just as attractive as she found him, eyes darting at random intervals to take in her body before he was staring back at her face. He was closer than he had been all night, drunker it seemed, and she was trying to keep control with the Soju pumping heavy and fast through her own veins.

“I like strawberries and chocolate,” he told her after a moment, sitting up a little straighter as he reached for the green bottle in her hands. “That’s probably my favorite dessert.”

Jinyoung’s fingers slid against hers purposely, but his face was casual as he did so, taking the bottle from her slowly. It was the opposite magnetic pole affect again, the pull almost causing her to follow his hands as he pulled away. She didn’t of course, deciding to fold her fingers together in her lap to hide the trembling.

His introspective eyes were on her hands anyway, and she thought she saw a flicker of amusement in them again; like he could see them shaking.

“Of course strawberries and chocolate are your favorite,” she was forever grateful that she could keep such a steady voice in times like this, despite her slowly deteriorating self-control. “You sound like the perfect boyfriend in a magazine.”

She had meant it as a joke, just to tease him, but her filter hadn’t caught up with her alcohol-induced tongue, not stopping her before she realized the implications of her words.

“The perfect boyfriend?” he repeated with a smirk, making her cheeks burn as he looked at her. “I have been told that before, actually.”

Arin wasn’t sure if he was joking or not, the twinkling in his eyes too mysterious for her to really read them.

“You’ve been told that?”

The Soju had completely taken the wheel, her filter thrown into the ocean like a littered soda can. The waves were stronger now, like an incoming storm was just on the horizon, and her feet were fully submerged, Jinyoung’s grip on her hand unbreakable.

“Yeah,” he seemed just slightly bashful as he answered, letting out a small laugh. “But not because of the strawberries and chocolate.”

Jinyoung was good, very good at smiling at her in a way that made her heart skip a beat. He seemed so casual, so relaxed, but she couldn’t help the nervous flick of his eyes from her face before he was taking another sip of Soju. He put the cap on it, reaching back and putting it on the table with the bag of chips, and she watched the way his lean body stretched out in front of her, eyes wandering up and down before she could stop them.

“Then why are you the perfect boyfriend?”

Again, Arin was kidding, wanting to tease him and watch him take it in stride like he had been all night. And he did exactly that, smile turning one-sided as he leaned just slightly closer.

“They always tell me I’m a good kisser.”

Arin was frozen in place, watching the way Jinyoung’s eyes wandered across her face, pausing on her lips before he was looking back up at her. The intensity was high, too much as she stared back at him.

He was telling her this on purpose, she realized, the way he was looking at her anything but innocent as she felt herself leaning forward before she could help it. It was a bold move on her part, even if the movement was infinitesimally small, but she saw Jinyoung’s eyes dart quickly to her upper body anyway.

There was a moment of hesitation on his part, just a slight pause before he was reaching up, tucking her hair behind one ear. His face was close, and she felt her breathing stutter as she spoke just centimeters from her lips.

“I can show you...if you want.”

He was the north pole and she was the south, their bodies too close now. There was no denying science, no stopping the force of nature that had them pressing their lips gently against one another’s almost simultaneously.

Arin wasn’t sure who had truly closed the distance- she was too drunk to tell- but she was so glad they had.

Jinyoung tasted like Soju, but also something sweet that she couldn’t put her finger on. He moved his lips gently but purposely againsts hers, hand moving to the back of her head as he tilted his own for a better angle.

His fingers curled into the strands of her hair as they both hummed simultaneously, the simple move deepening the kiss entirely. Jinyoung’s rhythm was a little less gentle now, more passionate as she heard his breathing change just slightly to match up with her heavy pants.

Despite every sharp intake of breath, Arin felt like she wasn’t getting enough oxygen, the feel of his soft lips moving so perfectly against hers enough to have her whimpering against his mouth. It was a slight sound, barely audible, but Jinyoung had heard it, a moan catching in the back of his throat as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip smoothly.

Arin didn’t hesitate, opening her mouth for him with a small exhale. His lips matched up with hers, both turning their heads as if it had been practiced before. Their open-mouthed kisses were heated, a little quicker as Jinyoung’s other hand ran slowly down the length of her arm. Arin finally reached forward, hands gripping his shoulders for a moment before they were sliding along his shoulders, fingers snaking under the collar of his shirt as she ran them up the skin of his neck.

There was another moan in his throat, but this time it was much more audible with their mouths open, and Arin thought she would die. He was too sexy, a little overwhelming, as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip again, much less gentle this time. They made out for a moment, her hands dragging down to his shoulders, digging her nails into the skin through his shirts. He sighed, the exhale falling straight into Arin’s mouth in a way that shouldn’t have been as hot as it was.

She let out a small mewl as he pushed gently forward, causing her to lean back. He still had his hand on the back of her head, the other on her upper arm. He used his grip to guide her in the right direction, his lips barely ever leaving hers as she leaned farther and farther back.

Then her head was hitting the back of the pillows, Jinyoung’s hand coming out from underneath it as he moved some stray hairs from her forehead. His mouth was hovering above hers, fingers trailing down the side of her face as she let her legs stretch out in front of her. The hand not caressing her cheek was pressed into the mattress, holding him up as he pressed a hard peck to her lips.

He pulled back just long enough to adjust his body, laying on his side, torso leaning on the top half of her body. He was warm and broad, and she reached up automatically, wrapping her arms around his neck. He gave her a quick smile, eyes almost black as he leaned back down, kissing her more passionately than he had all night.

Arin was overwhelmed, but in a way that had her wanting more anyway, the pressure of his body on top of hers too delicious for words. He was an amazing kisser, his previous girlfriends absolutely right, lips moving smoothly against hers in a way that had her almost gasping for air. He was out of breath as well, his exhales much sharper than before as he let his tongue meet hers in an intimate and sexy battle for dominance.

Not that she was trying too hard; she was more than happy to let Jinyoung have all the control.

He bit her bottom lip gently, just enough to pull a sharp gasp from her lips that had him groaning lowly before he was pressing his open-mouthed kisses along the side of her jaw. She wanted it, badly, practically stretching her neck as she turned her head to the side, begging him without words to keep going.

Jinyoung was happy to oblige it seemed, moving his body more fully on top of hers. She let her legs spread open just enough for him to snake his own leg in between them. His hips were pressed against hers and she was struggling for air again, listening to the soft moan that dusted warm and tantalizing against the skin of her neck.

He didn’t waste any time, running his tongue slowly along the skin behind her ear before moving all the way to her exposed collarbones. She was wearing a tanktop, giving him easy access to all the spots she was more than happy to let him kiss. He nipped gently on her collarbone, making her squeak in surprise, and she could feel Jinyoung’s slight smile against her neck before he was caressing the area with his lips.

It sent a shudder down her spine, his breath on the damp spot enough to have her moving just slightly underneath him. He rolled his hips against hers on instinct, both of them sighing in contentment at the feeling as Jinyoung took some of her skin in between his teeth and releasing it again.

“Can I?”

His voice was deeper, rougher, completely fargone as he asked her permission. Arin wasn’t sure she could speak, his words and the way he sounded way too hot to be real as she ran her hands through his hair, holding his head there with a firm grip in the strands.

“Yes.”

So she had a voice after all.

It sounded weird to her own ears, too high-pitched and strained compared to what she was used to. Jinyoung seemed to like it, breathing out in an audible sigh, sending goosebumps along her skin before he was sucking there, the feeling making her arch off the bed.

Their hips were pressed more completely against each other, and Jinyoung let her neck go with a low hiss, rolling his body against hers again as soon as the friction was lost. It felt good, way too good for Arin to comprehend, and she felt her fingers tightening in his hair before she could stop them, nails scratching at his scalp.

He didn’t seem to mind, breathing labored as he took her skin back into his mouth, sucking hard, the fact that he was leaving a mark on her hotter than it should be. His tongue was torture, the man knowing just how to use it as he made small patterns on her skin. He let go when just when it was starting to bruise, she could feel it, moving to her collar bone and running his tongue along it.

It was a sensitive area, and a whine slipped from her lips before she could stop it, their bodies rolling against one another once more. He let his teeth clamp gently on the spot as he let out a strangled groan, hand supporting his weight slipping slightly on the bed.

His other hand was running down the side of her body, following the gentle curves before he was at her hip. Jinyoung gripped the spot, looking down at their bodies pressed together before he was looking back at her, eyes dark as the sky outside.

Then he was moving against her again, leaning down to run his tongue along the rim of her ear. His heavy breathing was so audible now, mixing with her own as their movements were more consistent against one another. He brought his mouth back to hers, the rhythm of his lips much quicker now as they moved them together perfectly.

Jinyoung let go of her hips, fingers sliding up her body again as they rolled steadily against one another, another moan slipping from his lips, low and sexy as Arin tried to keep her thoughts straight.

It was hard with the way he was moving, the way he was reacting to her, her own body’s response almost alarming.

This guy was almost too much for her.

He was moving down the length of her jaw again, lips against her neck as he took another spot of skin in between his teeth. Jinyoung didn’t ask permission this time, and she didn’t need him to, turning her head to the side as she let him suck as hard as he wanted to.

She loved it, their moans mixing together like some vulgar melody as she reveled in the feel of her body against hers. Her fingers were sliding underneath his blue button-up, scraping down his back through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. He choked a little, hips stuttering in their movements as he released the skin of her neck again. She could feel the pain turning into warm pleasure where his mouth had just been, listening to his uneven breathing as Jinyoung arched a bit into her touch.

They were both fargone, _too_ fargone for just making out, but they were hammered and the Soju was taking control of their bodies a lot more than it was healthy to do so. Somehow, these thoughts were ping ponging in the back of her mind, logic fighting it’s way through the haze of her drunken, horny thoughts.

“Jinyoung.”

His name on her lips sounded more like a plead for more, and he seemed to think the same thing, groaning lightly as he stopped moving for a moment. She lifted up slightly, pressing her lips against his before speaking.

“We should stop.”

She hated herself for saying it, for being reasonable, but she knew they would both regret this in the morning. Arin didn’t regret anything that happened so far, and she wanted it to stay this way, the warmth of it spreading through her body like melted butter.

Jinyoung’s dark eyes were searching hers for a moment as if making sure she wasn’t hurt.

“I don’t want to,” she admitted with a sigh, and he let out a breathy chuckle, shoulders going slack as he looked at their bodies pressed against one another again. “But we should.”

He lifted his head again, hair falling slightly in his face before he leaned down to press his lips against hers.

“I know,” he whispered, voice low and soft as he spoke against her mouth. “You’re right, we should, I-”

Jinyoung cut himself off, moving his lips against hers in a long, passionate kiss that nearly took her breath away. She gasped lightly, almost saying fuck it to logic at the desperation in Jinyoung’s actions.

Why did she have to be so responsible?

Still, reluctantly, she slid her hands up and out of his shirt, gripping his shoulders lightly.

“I know,” he was out of breath as he broke off their kiss, laying his forehead against hers. “I’m stopping.”

Arin felt bad, honestly, even though he didn’t seem mad in the slightest. She wondered if instead of regretting taking it farther, she would actually regret stopping here as he moved shakily off of her body. She turned on her side simultaneously with him, his hand immediately reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear.

They just looked at one another, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn’t read as he continued to stroke the side of her face.

“You’re really beautiful,” he admitted in a low whisper, seeming surprised by his own confession as he continued to look at her.

She felt butterflies fill her stomach, mind turning to mush as she wiped some sweaty black strands of hair from his forehead.

“You too, Jinyoung.”

Her voice was barely audible, the warm and even feel of his touch combined with the heavy blanket of alcohol pulling her into the arms of sleep before she could stop them.

Arin heard Jinyoung chuckle, his eyes slipping closed, fingers slackening against the skin of her face, but still moving. Her eyelids were too heavy for her to keep them open either as she succumbed to her body’s exhaustion.

With Jinyoung’s nose ghosting against hers, his hand still lovingly caressing her face, she was lulled to sleep, listening to the man’s deep, even breaths.

* * *

_Eunmi felt her mouth drop open just slightly, and his gaze immediately moved to her parted lips, his tongue darting to lick his own bottom lip just long enough for her to see it._

_Her stomach flipped harshly at the action, and she could feel her fingers pressed hard against the wall, trembling just slightly. Her eyes were wandering away from his face, taking in the broadness of his shoulders, the strength of his arm as it continued to hold his weight against the wall. His skin looked really smooth, even more so this close, and she swallowed hard, her breathing pattern increasing just slightly._

_“Yah,” she breathed, realizing as she spoke that he had leaned in just a little closer. “Why do you have to be so nice, you’re making me-”_

_But Eunmi didn’t have time to finish before Jaebum had finally closed the distance between them. With his free hand gently cupping her face, he leaned forward in one fluid motion, pressing his lips hard against hers._

Eunmi’s eyes immediately slipped closed, the intensity of Jae’s kiss pressing her harder against the wall. She couldn’t think, her body reacting way before her mind could as she lifted her hands quickly from where they were pressed on either side of her. She still needed to steady herself, feeling incredibly off balance as she gripped the fabric of Jae’s shirt, pulling him closer to her on instinct.

His arm bent, elbow hitting the wall with a dull thud as he stumbled closer, lips leaving hers just long enough for him to inhale sharply.

The small sound felt like electricity through her veins, and she leaned forward to quickly close the distance between their lips again, hating the loss of his contact more than she could even comprehend. She hummed into the kiss, grip tightening in the fabric of his shirt as she felt his fingers thread shakily through her hair, catching on the messy strands.

Jaebum didn’t seem to care, letting them pull through the tangles in a pleasurable pain that had Eunmi turning her head to the side, deepening their kiss. She finally let go of his shirt, needing to touch him, her curiosity burning like fire just beneath her skin.

Trembling, her hands traveled across the fabric of his t-shirt, feeling the smooth expanse of his broad chest. Eunmi let her fingers grip onto his shoulders, the ones she had admired one too many times since that first time she saw him two months ago.

Their lips were moving against one another’s quickly, needy, their heavy breathing mixed together as one as she let her palms caress the skin of his neck. It was just as smooth and soft as she imagined, her nails scraping him lightly before she was snaking her fingers into the hair on the back of his head.

The soft moan in his throat was so quiet she almost didn’t hear it, but she did, and she swallowed hard, using her hand to push him closer to her. He moved his hand from her hair, dragging slowly and deliberately down her body, fingernails skirting across the exposed skin between her shirt and skirt. The simple move had her breath catching in her throat, lips parting farther as he opened his mouth to accommodate it.

Eunmi turned her head a little bit more just as he did the same, their tongues meeting in one hot, smooth movement. He tasted way too good, sharp, like salt, and it was intoxicating, Eunmi immediately wanting more. A light hum of approval slipped from her throat before she could help it, just as Jae was dragging his hand farther down her body, reaching the bottom of her short skirt.

She wanted him closer, not understanding why, not caring why, her body and drunken mind taking the wheel, refusing to let her use any restraint. Eunmi was well aware it was Jaebum, her childhood frenemy, her best friend’s cousin, and even with those thoughts she couldn’t deny the attraction, not any more so now than she could the moment she had seen him the first day of class.

Jaebum was hot, way too sexy for her to resist any longer.

Her hands were leaving the back of his head, and she bit gently on his bottom lip in a moment of bold confidence as she wiggled her fingers under the hem of his shirt. Jae gasped at the bite, forehead falling against hers as she ran her hands along the v-line of his hips.

“ _Shit_ , Eunmi,” he breathed against her mouth, body stuttering just slightly at her feather-light touches.

Her brain fizzled, the heat of his words scorching into her veins as she flattened her palms against his lower stomach. His voice was low and quiet like always, but the pleasure was there, laced into every syllable as he pressed his lips hard against hers again. She let her hands wander upwards, a little surprised at the dips and grooves of soft muscle underneath her fingers.

Jae wasn’t fair.

His skin was warm, flushed and sticky with sweat, and she loved it, twisting her hands across his ribs before they were pushing on his back, wanting the heat closer to her than it already was.

Jae’s arm slipped from the wall as he catered to her unspoken demands, just centimeters left between their bodies. Both hands were sliding down her body now, starting at her shoulder, ghosting across her breasts, slipping down her upper ribs until he was at the dip of her waist, fingers moving to press on the middle of her back gently.

Eunmi complied immediately, back arching so her body was flush against his. His fingers curled a little into the fabric of her crop top, both of them gasping at the contact before their lips were moving roughly against one another’s once more.

She’d never kissed someone like this before, like if she didn’t, she might not be able to breathe properly. His hands were like a cool water on her too hot skin, the taste of him like chocolate after a long diet of carrot sticks. Eunmi was acutely aware of the way her stomach was flipping, her chest swelling with emotion she couldn’t explain as she grew impatient with lust that had seemingly come out of nowhere.

Jae was smooth with the movements of his lips and tongue, his sharp inhales telling her she wasn’t the only one affected by their heavy makeout session. That made it so much hotter for some reason, that he was so into it, her hands pulling impatiently from his shirt, reaching up to run through that silky hair she loved to look at so much.

He leaned his head back with her rough touch, lips pulling from hers but not going far as she reveled in the softness, looking up to see the disheveled strands falling in random spots on top of his head as they slipped from her fingers.

Eunmi’s eyes darted down to meet his, Jaebum staring at her as if he wasn’t sure she was real.

She couldn’t acknowledge that it was the two of them right now- that it was her and Jae- and he was looking at her like she was something out of a dream. Eunmi was frightened of the way her heart stuttered in it’s beats at the thought, or the way her insides twisted with a warm glow she couldn’t suppress.

“You have nice hair.”

So she spoke the words that came to her mind, watching him chuckle a beat too late, as if just processing her words.

“Thanks.”

They didn’t sound like themselves, both struggling to breathe, their panting echoing off the small bathroom walls. His eyes were dark, nearly black, as he looked down at her. Eunmi could hear the buzzing in her ears, feel the catch in her throat as she spotted that softness in his gaze again, wondering if she was imagining it or not.

She didn’t wait to find out, she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out, using her grip on his hair to pull him back to her lips. Her shoulders slammed against the wall as her back stayed arched, Jae’s grip in her shirt forcing her body to stay pressed against him. But then his hands were sliding downward, kisses more urgent as they snaked around to her hips. He gripped them on both sides, taking a couple small steps until her entire body was against the wall again. Eunmi let him take control, inhaling harshly as she felt one of the hands on her hips slide down her skirt, warm fingers sliding underneath the fabric when he got to the hem, pushing on her inner thigh to get her to spread her legs.

Eunmi wouldn’t dream of arguing with him, moving her legs a bit apart as quickly as he demanded it, hissing when she felt him press his lower body against hers, thigh putting pressure in between her legs. His fingers moved through her hair again as she found herself moving against him slowly, the pressure increasing as she bit on his bottom lip again, a small whine sounding foreign as it slipped from her own throat.

“A-Ah God, Eunmi,” Jae’s whisper was like music to her ears as she released his lip, gripping his shoulders as she tried to find leverage.

Her slow movements against him were unsteady in her drunken and overly aroused state, but neither of them seemed to notice, Jae’s lips on the skin just inches from her ear with occasional kisses followed by stuttered, barely controlled exhales. His breath came out in warm whisps, ghosting across her cartilage and sending shivers down her spine that had her biting her lip against another embarrassingly needy sound.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

“Stop it, dumbass, obviously someone’s in there! The light’s on!”

Jae and Eunmi jumped, and she slipped against the wall, his grip on her slackening as he looked over his shoulder with a scowl on his face.

“WellI’vegottapee…”

The words of the other person behind the door were slurred, a girl who was clearly drunk as her fist rapped against the door three more times.

“HELLOOOOOO!!!”

“Jaeunie!” the friend on the other end sounded irritated and the knocking abruptly ended. “There’s a bathroom upstairs! We’ll just go there.”

There was some grumbling from Jaeun that Eunmi couldn’t hear, and their voices sounded farther away now as they seemed to be walking away.

A beat of silence followed their interruption before Jae was turning back to her, running a hand through his sweaty hair and taking a small step backwards. Eunmi was still breathing heavily, heart hammering hard in her ears as she stared back at Jae.

He let his hand fall to his side, the dark strands sticking up in all directions as he seemed to be searching her face for something. His lips were slightly swollen, eyes still so dark, face flushed from their still close proximity. Even with just inches between them, Eunmi was aching for his body against hers once more, the taste of his lips still on the edge of her tongue as she watched them both swallow at the same exact time.

“Do you want to…”

He seemed unable to finish the sentence, his voice a little raspy as he continued to stare at her, looking almost scared of her answer.

Eunmi didn’t like seeing him so vulnerable.

“Find a room?”

She couldn’t believe that was her voice, breathy and quieter than usual, the words sounding foreign on her lips as she watched his eyes widen just a fraction more.

“Yes.”

Her final word seemed to kick him into gear, and he quickly grabbed her wrist, yanking her from the wall and causing her to trip with a laugh. He had his ear to the door, listening for a moment before yanking it open. The entryway was, thankfully, empty for the moment, and Jae’s eyes landed on a door next to the staircase just as hers did the same.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows, still looking slightly surprised by her presence, asking without words if that worked. Eunmi nodded in answer, and he pulled her forward, taking the five steps across the entryway before he was pushing the door open, both of them stumbling inside before Eunmi was closing the it behind them with a loud snap.

She looked behind her, pressing her thumb into the lock, the click of it audible in the small space. Jae’s hand never left her wrist as he watched the movement before they both looked around.

The room was small, a study room, with a large computer desk right in front of them and a futon on the opposite wall next to them. The wall to their far right was slanted to accommodate the staircase above, and there were no windows.

Jaebum was looking at her again, his expression unreadable now as his grip tightened on her wrist. She bit her lip on instinct and his eyes darted right to it, pausing for a moment before he was pulling her towards him.

Eunmi laughed softly again as she turned ungracefully from the momentum of his yank on her arm, and she heard him chuckle under his breath. Her back was to the computer desk as her wrist slipped from his hand, grabbing his shoulders to keep from toppling over. The world was still spinning, the alcohol traveling with the hot blood of her arousal, heart pumping quickly in response to the night’s events.

They looked at one another, now as close as they had just been in the bathroom, his hands resting automatically on her hips. Their slight smiles were still there, but were fading quickly at the intensity of their gaze. Eunmi let her eyes wander to his lips, the sharp pinch of need in her throat that had her leaning forward slowly.

She glanced back at his eyes, which were searching hers while he moved to close the distance between them, looking like he was waiting for her to tell him to stop.

Eunmi had no desire to do that.

When Jae didn’t get any resistance, he closed the distance, pressing his lips to hers and giving her exactly what she had been wanting. The locked door, the privacy of the room, had Eunmi’s mind flying away from her, her hands on his shoulders sliding to wrap around his neck. She had her fingers in his hair, pulling on the strands and bringing him closer, unhappy with the distance of the rest of their bodies from one another. He was warm, so warm, and she wanted him as close as he had been against the wall in the bathroom.

It seemed Jae was thinking the same thing, his hands tightening on her hips as he slowly started pushing her backwards. She followed his lead, moving her lips deeply against his, pulling a small exhale from him as her back collided with the computer desk.

Eunmi broke away just long enough to make sure she had enough room to jump on. She impatiently swiped a cup of pencils and a notebook to the side, both of them crashing to the floor with a loud clatter. He laughed softly, looking down at her mess while she lifted herself onto the desks surface. She was impatient, the anticipation of it nearly suffocating her as she grabbed his shirt again, pulling him forward and hooking her legs around his hips.

Jae looked up with wide eyes, before he was staring down at her legs, running his hands slowly up her thighs and underneath her skirt. She couldn’t take it, the way he was looking at her, like she was the hottest girl he’d ever seen. Her chest was warm again, making her swallow hard as she loosened the grip on his shirt, sliding her hands slowly down the length of his torso. His hands gripped the tops of her thighs, fingers digging into her flesh in a way that had her biting her lip as she pulled on the hem of his shirt.

She wanted it off.

He seemed to know what she wanted, taking his hands from her legs- she wanted to cry at the loss- and pulled the fabric over his head in one smooth movement.

Eunmi paused, his hands already sliding back up her skirt again, and she subconsciously tightened her legs around his hips. He was unreal almost to her, his skin smooth and perfect, arms defined, chest and shoulders broad, and sporting a soft set of abs.

_Really? Abs?_

“Yah, Jae,” Eunmi didn’t have a filter, her voice barely above a whisper as her hands ghosted across the length of his torso. “When did you get so hot?”

She hadn’t meant to ask it really, but she was amazed, desire trickling through her like molten lava. He watched the movement of her hands before looking up at her through his lashes, a crooked smile on his face as his eyes flicked up and down her body.

“When did you?”

It wasn’t the answer she had been expecting and she still wasn’t used to the wanton sound of his voice, the flush on her cheeks nearly burning her skin. She shook her head back and forth for lack of anything to say, fighting with the smile that was dancing on the corners of her mouth. Eunmi grabbed his shoulders, reveling in the strength of them as she pulled him forward, bringing their lips together once more.

That was enough talking for now.

Jae immediately sank into the kiss, his fingers scraping the skin of her thighs as he leaned forward just slightly. Eunmi wanted to taste him, taking her lips from his with a small pop before she was pressing quick pecks against his sharp jawline. He tilted his head to the side instantly, hands sliding farther up her skirt until he was cupping the curve of her ass. She scooted closer to him, legs squeezing around him as she trailed open-mouthed, kisses down his neck, the taste of his skin just as salty as his mouth.

His grip on her tightened as their hips pressed against one another, the friction almost too much for Eunmi’s drunk mind to comprehend as she bit on the juncture of his neck and shoulder. A strangled moan slipped from his throat, soft but clear as crystal in the silent in room. She glanced up at him, her heart skipping a beat at the way his eyes had slipped closed, lip lodged between his teeth, clear pleasure on every feature of his face.

Eunmi thought she might die.

She quickly bit down again, much harder this time before soothing the skin with a quick swipe of her tongue. He shuddered before rolling his hips against hers, the feeling making Eunmi’s eyes slip closed, a gasp slipping from her lips. She could feel his arousal now, and it sent sparks through her veins, exploding like fireworks as she felt a tremble of want shake through her body.

“Futon,” she practically choked out, lifting her face to look at him, pushing gently on his shoulders. “Let’s go. Please.”

Eunmi couldn’t think straight as she felt his hands slip from her body, the cold almost making her shiver as he gave her room to move from the desk. He was staring at her again, expression dark, but unreadable as his eyes ran down her body, watching her feet hit the floor. Her eyes were on his body again, his lean and well-built upper torso, the way his jeans sat low enough on his hips she could see the waistband of his underwear, teasing her as if she wasn’t desperate enough already.

Jae shook his head just once, like he was trying to clear his head before he was turning around, crossing the short distance to the navy blue futon. He sat lazily on the cushions, and she walked to him, fully planning on climbing into his lap and running her hands through that hair she loved as she did so.

But then she was standing right in front of him and he was looking up at her, something glittering in his eyes for the third time that night, the softness in his them sending a thrill to her chest again.

It looked like affection.

His hands were tentatively running up her legs, and he wasn’t looking at her like she was a hot chick or a good lay.

He was looking at her like she was worth something.

_“I honestly think you just have bad taste, Eunmi.”_

_She glared at him, her heart not all the way in it in her drunken state, as she kept her eyes locked with his._

_“I’m just saying,” he told her with a shrug, eyes darting from hers. “Those guys don’t deserve you at all.”_

Eunmi stared at him, his hands taking her wrists and pulling her towards him, his unwavering gaze back making her stomach do somersaults.

_“I just-”_

_Eunmi knew Jae too well; he always looked around when he was nervous, as if the words he needed were written on a cue card waiting for him in the background._

_“They’re not really worth your time. You’re…”_

_She felt like she couldn’t breathe now, something different about the air between them, something charged that she wasn’t sure if she was imagining or not. Her stomach was twisting slowly but steadily, drunk mind frozen in time, not sure what to expect from this man in front of her._

_He finally sighed, taking his hand from his hair and letting it drop to his side._

_“You’re too good for them, Eunmi.”_

“Jae.”

Her knees were on either side of his hips, digging into the cushions as she put her weight into his lap. Her voice was quiet, her inhale shaky as she looked at him. His eyebrows were raised in question, hands absentmindedly letting go her wrists to rest on her hips.

It amazed her, how comfortable they already were like this. How was this possible? If someone would’ve told Eunmi even three hours ago that she’d been sitting on Jaebum’s lap with an unreal desire to kiss him senseless, grind her hips against his and make him come undone underneath her, she would’ve laughed in their face.

But now it was _all_ she wanted, the words he had spoken to her now intensifying the moment as she remembered how sincere he had seemed.

“Yeah?”

He still didn’t sound like Jae, not a hint of snarkiness in his tone, and yet it was him, voice still just as soft and even as it always was. She was struggling, her desire and need for him and her curiosity burning in her chest like two balls of flame. They flickered as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, just wanting to feel him again, feel that completeness he was bringing to her that she couldn’t explain to herself.

He kissed her back, the same passion and desire behind the movement, but it was gentler somehow, like he knew she was struggling, and she melted into the feeling before she could help it. Eunmi couldn’t believe this was Jae, that he wanted her like this, that his touch on her skin was bringing every nerve in her body to life, begging for more of him.

“Did you mean it?”

Eunmi pulled away, forehead resting against his as she asked the question that was sitting on the edge of her lips for a while. She hadn’t known that it was there, waiting for her to ask since the moment he had been sweet to her, but now that the question was out, she could feel her craving for the answer burning in her throat like bile.

There was a moment of silence, his hands ceasing their movements on her legs as she waited with bated breath.

“Yes,” he whispered against her lips, hands running up her arms softly. “I did.”

It was all the confirmation she needed.

Eunmi leaned forward, hands in his hair as the two balls of flame in her chest merged into one, the heat nearly suffocating her. She pressed her lips hard against his, scooting her knees farther out so their hips were pressed right against one another’s. She pulled her mouth away quickly, body rolling into his in a fluid movement that had both of them sighing through heavy breaths.

Jae was pulling on the hem of her crop top, and she raised her hands above her head in answer, impatiently moving to the skin of his neck as she went back to tasting the skin there. He was running his hands up her middle, hands cupping her breasts through her bra and squeezing slightly.

She gasped at the feeling, rolling her hips against his as she let her nails scrape down his upper arms. There was a sharp intake of breath that slipped from his lips, a whisper in the darkness of the room as she slid down the length of his thighs, hands roaming to admire his torso once more.

He was looking at her with those dark eyes again, desire clear on every feature of his face, only fueling the inferno that had spread through her entire body. She maneuvered her shaky legs until she was standing for a second, only to drop down on her knees, flinching a little at the hard floor underneath her.

Eunmi’s hands slid down his stomach, tickling the slight definition before she was moving her fingers to the button on his pants. Jae was watching her every movement with sharp, calculative eyes, breathing a little labored as he let his hands rest on the cushion on either side of him.

She pulled his zipper down impatiently, scooting closer and ignoring the pain of her knees as she slid her hand along the bulge in his underwear. He hissed softly, head flying back as he immediately ran a hand through his hair.

Her eyes widened at his reaction, teasing him for a moment, moving her fingers slowly and deliberately along the length of him. Jae’s bottom lip was back in his mouth, teeth holding it in place hard as he strained his neck. His hips lifted just slightly, and Eunmi decided she was too impatient, moving the fabric quickly and holding his dick at the base.

He grunted softly as she moved her hand up and down in one fluid movement, watching him come undone from her simple touches. Eunmi couldn’t believe how sexy he was, hand gripping his hair at the roots as if he knew what was coming.

_Of course he knows what’s coming_

Eunmi grinned at her own thoughts, running her tongue along the underside of his dick without any preamble, hearing Jae choke just slightly on the air around him.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he hissed, hips stuttering underneath her.

She would’ve laughed at the cussing- was he always like this in bed?- but she was too busy hollowing out her cheeks, covering her teeth with her lips as she took more and more of his erection into her mouth. Once she was comfortable, she moved her hand up and down to meet her bobbing head, reveling in the labored breathing she could hear coming from him, hard and fast.

Her tongue was rolling along the rim of the head as she moved upwards, sucking slightly as she did so.

There was a hand in her hair, holding the strands tightly as she heard a soft ah come from Jaebum seemingly by accident. She took that as good sign, smiling a little around him as she moved back down, taking a little more of him in her mouth with each downward stroke, sucking harder as the seconds passed.

“Shit, shit, shit-”

Eummi’s moves stuttered, the desperate sound of his quiet voice almost too much for her to handle. He was usually so reserved, reactions to almost everything pretty neutral, and she couldn’t help but glance up, seeing a whole new side of him as he arched his back a bit off the futon. His tongue was running along his swollen bottom lip before he was taking it into his mouth again, eyes squeezed shut.

Her body was trembling again, so turned on she could hardly keep going, but she wanted to, picking up the pace with her movements. He was choking again, his hips lifting a little off the cushion as she took almost all of him into her mouth, relaxing her throat as she bobbed slowly up and down.

“N-”

Jae’s grip on her hair was painful, but she kind of loved it, figuring he wanted her to keep going. Her jaw was relaxing a little, allowing her to move a bit faster, tongue caressing the length of him as she did so.

“No, No, Eunmi-”

She realized he wasn’t just making a mindless noise, he was trying to talk, breathless as he pulled on her hair again.

“ _Fuck_ , I’m gonna- You gotta-”

Eunmi stopped, taking her mouth from him slowly, as his grip immediately loosened, body falling limp against the couch. He took a couple even breaths before he was leaning forward, wrapping his hands around the wrists that were currently resting on his thighs. He pulled her gently forward, and she obliged immediately, climbing back onto the futon, biting her lip as their hips pressed together once more. She rolled her against him slowly, the small barrier of her panties barely making a difference as they both hung their heads, eyes squeezed shut at the pleasure.

“Do you want to?”

Eunmi wasn’t sure she would ever be this transparent if she hadn’t drank so much alcohol, but she wanted to make sure they were on the same page. She needed that reassurance from him for reasons she couldn’t explain, and the way he looked at her, eyes wide, cloudy with reciprocated lust, hands running up the length of her legs, she knew he wanted it just as bad she did.

“Only if you do.”

Eunmi could’ve laughed at that; she was so turned on she could hardly see straight.

That might be the alcohol

She ignored her thoughts, nodding once in answer before she was reaching up to fix some hairs on his head that were sticking straight up. He was staring right at her, gaze always so sharp, piercing like he was looking for something. Eunmi’s were back on his again, and he stared for a few second more seconds before he was scooting to the right, hands tight on her hips to keep her in place.

She giggled unexpectedly at the sudden movement, a small smirk pulling at his lips as he slid out from underneath her in a move she couldn’t comprehend. He was standing next to the futon now, leaving her dumbfounded as he continued to smile, pushing gently on her shoulders.

Eunmi lowered without hesitation, her head hitting the cushion softly before he was leaning forward, running both hands up her legs again, the heat they brought scorching against her flushed skin. He was looking at her with dark eyes as his fingers disappeared underneath the fabric of her skirt, hooking smoothly around the waistband of her panties. He pulled them slowly, and she lifted her hips to help him as they slid easily down her legs.

Jae threw them to the side before pulling down his jeans and underwear in one fluid moment, barely giving her a second to look before he was climbing on top of her. HIs body fell flush against hers, and she sighed loudly at the feeling, arms immediately wrapping around his neck. He was so warm, the heaviness of his body too sexy for words as she felt him use one hand to move her skirt to rest on her stomach.

She was shaking with anticipation, his eyes flicking to hers, their gaze more intense than it had been all night. Eunmi nodded once, knowing he was asking permission, and he closed his eyes for a moment before looking down between them, one hand in between them to line up at her entrance while the other held his weight, resting between the back cushion and her head.

Eunmi hissed when he moved his hips against hers, both of them pausing for just a second as she adjusted. It hadn’t exactly been yesterday since she had had sex, and his forehead hit her shoulder, elbows on the futon as he kept still for her for a moment.

“You okay?” his voice was strained as he asked.

She nodded, cheek brushing against the hair on top of his head. Jae seemed to hesitate before lifting his head, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to her shoulder before slowly starting to move his hips.

He groaned softly in her ear, the sound sending shivers down her spine as she reveled in the full feeling, nails digging into the skin of his back. Jae sighed softly at that, movements a little faster as she let out a light mewl of delight.

Eunmi felt her head digging into the cushion, eyes squeezed shut as the pleasure started spreading throughout her body, breaths coming out shorter as Jae increased his speed even more.

“ _Shit_ , Eunmi,” he breathed, voice cracking a little as his hands slid unsteadily on the cushion. “Good _god_...”

Jae’s head was back on her shoulder and she was running her fingers through his hair on instinct, pulling on the strands a little as she felt him bite the skin in front of his mouth.

Eunmi moaned louder than she meant to as he angled his hips differently, the feeling unexpectedly wonderful, and she felt his breathing increase at the sound. She lifted her hips to meet his, and she saw his fingers curl slightly into the cushion as she did so.

It was all too sexy, felt too good now, and the build-up from all their earlier activities had her body wound tight. She could already feel the pool of warmth in her lower stomach and would’ve been more embarrassed if she wasn’t too busy trying to get oxygen into her lungs.

Jae was moaning in her ear once more as he rolled his hips again, the sound soft and just for her, and that somehow made it that much more arousing. She was biting hard on her lip, pulling his hair harder than she meant to as the pressure below was almost becoming too much.

“Oh my God,” Eunmi whined before she could stop it, arching her back a little at the white hot pleasure spreading steadily through her body. “J-Jae, I-”

What was she saying? She wasn’t really sure, too delusional as she could feel her body tensing at what was to come. Her fingers slackened in his hair, scraping down his back again as she paid attention to the way he felt, warm and strong, above her with strangled breaths as he kept using her shoulder as support for his forehead.

“Eunmi-”

He didn’t say anything else, but the intensity was there, palpable and suffocating between them. She was gripping him harder, the soft skin of his back completely wrecked by her digging fingernails. His teeth were on her shoulder again as another strained groan tore from his throat, the movements of his hips just a little more sporadic than before.

Eunmi knew Jae was close, and that somehow made it hotter, his pleasure turning her on more than she could really explain as the sharpness of his teeth sent another shot of pleasure through her system.

It was hot, too hot in the small room, both of them slick with sweat, but she couldn’t care less as she held him close.

“Fuck, _Fuck_ -” Jae didn’t sound like he had any control over what he was saying, body weight slipping as he continued to move against her. “I- _shit_ -”

His forehead fell harshly against her shoulder as he groaned louder than he had all night, finally finding his release as he rolled his hips to ride it out. The sound of Jae coming undone like that was enough to tip Eunmi over the edge, and she was arching off the cushion, fingers sliding on the slippery expanse of Jae’s back.

She pressed her lips together, the cry in her throat muffled as she lifted her head, burying her nose into Jae’s shoulder. His body weight was on her more completely now as white spots popped up behind her eyelids, breathing still labored as she kept her arms tight around him like a lifeline.

Eunmi whimpered as she finally came down, head falling hard against the cushions as she heard nothing but their mingled breathing and her steady heartbeat in her ears. They were both quiet for a moment, Jae pulling out and making them both cringe before he was letting his cheek fall onto the spot right below her shoulder, his breaths ghosting across her skin.

“You okay?”

He was asking her again, and she turned to look down at him, eyes still a little glazed over as she ran her fingers absentmindedly down his back.

“Yeah,” she breathed, watching his eyes slip closed at her touch. “ _Yeah_ , that was…”

But the adjective was lost on her, something bubbling in her chest as she watched him rest his cheek a little more completely against her shoulder, eyes still closed. His face was completely relaxed, body fully resting on top of hers and almost constricting her breathing, but she couldn’t bring herself to care too much in that moment.

Jae seemed to realize what he was doing, popping an eye open lazily and using his hands to push some of his weight off of her.

“Let’s flip over.”

Eunmi almost cried out at the loss of his body heat, so content to lay like that forever, but apparently he didn’t feel the same. He seemed to sense how she was feeling though, pulling a blanket from the back of the futon and unfolding it with a flick of his wrist. He handed it to her before collapsing onto his back on the navy blue cushion. She swished the blanket over her shoulders like a cape, immediately climbing on top of him, wanting his warmth back.

The silence was comfortable, both still in the afterglow of what had just happened, her cheek immediately resting on his chest. She felt Jae adjust the blanket that had slipped a bit, his hands resting on her back for a moment. Then he was reaching up, fingers ghosting across the skin of her forehead as he brushed her hair back from her face.

She stretched her neck to look at him, watching him lift his head to meet her gaze. They stared at one another for a moment before he smiled, the gesture sending a shockwave through her whole system. Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself grinning back, feeling so incredibly warm as his eyes looked back at the ceiling, smile still on his face as he let his head drop down once more.

Eunmi couldn’t find anything to say, feeling too content to speak in that moment. Jae seemed to feel the same way as his fingers moved lazily through her hair, her eyes slipping closed at the feeling.

The warmth was too soothing, the sound of Jae’s steady heartbeat too comforting, and before she could think about anything but the the snuggly blanket on her back and the way Jae’s body seemed to fit perfectly underneath hers, she was slipping quickly into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHOO! Jae is hot isn’t he? Jinyoung too hehe!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you liked it!
> 
> Spoiler Alert: Eunmi and Jaebum definitely get together after this, since she realized her denial was pointless and he obviously loves her just as much as she loves him.
> 
> Also, Jinyoung definitely likes Arin. They will date. They are a match made in heaven haha.
> 
> FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS :D!


	3. Other Stories

**Hey Guys!!**

Thank you so so much for reading! 

If you liked this story, I just added some new material to my page! Feel free to check it out! 

** One-Shots: **

**-Bottoms Up (A Halloween Special) (M):** **_Jimin/OC_**

A bartender with a crappy boyfriend is working the costume party on Halloween night at the club. She runs into a sexy man with a sideways smile who just might be the distraction she's looking for.

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/18026804>

**-Makeup Chairs and Closet Doors (M): _Taehyung/OC Jungkook/OC_**

Two sisters who work with BTS have a little too much fun with the boys after a long day of work. 

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689400/chapters/41725754>

**-Cheers to Stupid Mistakes (M):** **_Han/OC_ **

After a long, tiring day, all Professor Eunae wants to do is go home, drink wine and _not_ think about her cheating ex. When her car won’t start in the middle of the near-empty parking lot at her university, a young, mysterious stranger with a motorcycle shows up unexpectedly to save the day.

Who says princes don't wear leather? 

[ https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553187](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553187)

**-Don’t Get Caught (M):** **_Wonho/OC_ **

Arya is just a girl, who’s also an idol, who’s a little tired of the “no boys” rule. So what happens when a hot guy buys hers a drink, challenging her to break the rules for just one night?

[ https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570464/chapters/56548744](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570464/chapters/56548744)

**-Unexpected Help (M):** **_Yoongi/OC_ **

Mira, head stylist for BTS, is having relationship problems with Namjoon, again, and just needs a way to cool off. Soomi gets a taste of the performing life, and wouldn’t mind finding a mentor who can teach her the ropes. Min Yoongi just might be the guy they both need.

[ https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641123/chapters/56741551 ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641123/chapters/56741551)

**Stories: **

**-Thank You For Everything: _Yoongi/OC Jin/OC Jimin/OC_**

A girl who has a past she'd rather forget moves far away from home to start a new life at college. Everything is going great...that is, until she meets _Yoongi_. 

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/18026867/chapters/42594362>

**-The Perfect Match (M)** : **_Jin/OC Jimin/OC Taehyung/OC Yoongi/OC Jungkook/OC Namjoon/OC Hoseok/OC_**

A Reality TV show AU where girls from all over the world take soulmate quizzes to find their perfect match in a BTS member. Seven of those girls are chosen to live in a mansion with the Bangtan Boys on a TV show. Lots of angst, romance, and sexy times! 

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689079/chapters/41724953>

**-Missing Pieces: When Fate Has Other Plans (M): _Shownu/OC Yugyeom/OC_**

Soyeon and Jiahn are best friends working for the Entertainment Enquirer, an entertainment online magazine. They are forced to go to Seoul's most popular underground masquerade party after their demanding boss, Jackson, gives them no choice. With their identities hidden, dressed to impress, the two head to the club for a night to remember, not realizing that one fateful night would change their lives forever...

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/18026993/chapters/42594704>

**-Let's Try It (M): _Chan/OC Hyunjin/OC_**

Chan, MiYoung and Minha have been best friends since their second year of college. While Chan and MiYoung are swapping flirty banter and making out every time they're drunk, they _insist_ they are just friends, no matter how many times Minha tells them they're stupid. When Chan throws a party and invites his hot, young intern- Hyunjin- over, Minha is knocked right off her feet. One too many shots and a party game gone personal, the four of them have conversations that change their perspective on everything... 

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/23134945/chapters/55362016>


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